Our Endless Numbered Days
by GreenGirl96
Summary: Post-musical. Fiyeraba. Follows Fiyero and Elphaba through their journey out of Oz and the challenges they face while effectively in hiding. This story will include Glinda and other characters as well eventually. It's going to be quite a roller-coaster!
1. She'll Mend His Tattered Clothes

**Title**: Our Endless Numbered Days

**Author**: GreenGirl96

**Summary**: Post-musical. This story focuses mostly on Elphaba and Fiyero, though we do glance in on Glinda from time to time. Life in hiding isn't all its cracked up to be and the couple face numerous challenges in their struggle to stay alive and safe. Eventually, they face a tragic situation that may require them to reveal themselves.

**A/N**: Here are some things you need to know before you start reading. First of all, this is musical-based, though I have read the book and do steal a few small details from it. For instance, my Fiyero is dark-skinned (like he is in the book) but has no diamonds. This is simply because the first Fiyero I saw was Derrick Williams and he will always be the face I picture when I think of this character. Also, Glinda will play little to no role in the beginning and middle of this story, but she will have a much larger role eventually, I promise. This also operates on the assumption that when they stepped through the clock in the end, it was some sort of portal. And as a warning, this story may seem softer at first, but I am not a fluff writer. I like to pretty much put my characters through hell, so please don't hate me for it. I just think they're more interesting that way. So if you're looking for a nice, easy, happy story, please move on. This will also be relatively long. I have sixty pages already written and I'm not even to the middle of the story yet. I will try my best to update as often as I can. Enjoy! And please take the time to review, I really take in feedback and it helps motivate me to write more and write better. Thanks!

Oh and PS- if any of you were wondering, the title comes from the Iron and Wine song "Passing Afternoon." Great song, give it a listen!

* * *

Chapter One: She'll Mend His Tattered Clothes

The world around her was pure white. This was the first thought Elphaba had as she looked around at the pristine snow that blanketed the land around them. She breathed in deeply, feeling the frigid air sting her lungs, grateful for it, because it reminded her that she was alive. After a moment of deep silence, she turned to the figure next to her, trying to make out his expression. Like her, he was hastily taking in their surroundings, looking slightly too perplexed for her liking.

"You look confused," she pointed out softly. "Isn't this where you meant us to end up?"

Finally, Fiyero turned to look at her. The moonlight allowed her to study his features of cloth and straw. She could still see the old Fiyero in him, especially in his eyes and the way his mouth was set, but she couldn't help feel guilt at the body he was now trapped inside of. She hoped she possessed power enough to set him right again.

"Well, we're definitely in Ev, which is good," he replied slowly. "I just didn't know exactly where the portal would lead to. I think we're in the Elkin Forest. Unfortunately, it's not exactly close to where we're headed," he finished, slightly apologetically.

"Which is where?" In their haste to leave Oz, Fiyero hadn't had much time to explain the plot he'd hatched while traveling to Kiamo Ko to find her.

"Well, my parents have small cottages in most of the countries surrounding Oz for when they have to come on diplomatic duty. Their cottage here in Ev is near the western border. The Elkin forest extends through most of the eastern half of the country."

Elphaba sighed. "Do you know how far east we are?"

"No. We could be nearly at the western edge of the woods," he said hopefully, before his expression darkened. "Or we could be at the eastern border. The only way to find out is by heading west."

Elphaba nodded bleakly as she looked around once again at the surrounding forest. She felt a shiver run up her spine, partially from the cold and partially from the dark anticipation of the journey ahead. "Well, it's a little cold for travel right now. Perhaps we could find somewhere to settle for the night and set out when the sun rises."

"That's probably a good idea," Fiyero agreed easily. His senses were dulled due to his body's new composition, but he could see Elphaba shivering under her thin black dress. He'd managed to hastily throw together some supplies for them, including a couple of cloaks, but it had been an overwhelming day and he thought it better to find somewhere to regroup before setting out.

She felt his straw fingers along the small of her back, gently guiding her forward. They walked on for a while in silence, both keeping their eyes peeled for anything that could serve as shelter. After what must have been at least a half-mile's walk through the snow, Elphaba spotted a cave, just large enough for both to crawl into and sit down comfortably. Once inside, Fiyero quickly searched through his satchel for a cloak. He pulled out a large black one and reached out to wrap it around Elphaba as he heard her begin to mumble something he couldn't quite make out. He was about to inquire when suddenly a small fire burst out at the opening of their cave, radiating its heat inward. He turned back to look at her and saw a small, satisfied smile playing at her lips.

"You can still do spells without the Grimmerie?" He questioned, surprised.

"Well, I've always been able to do magic to some degree, but Madame Morrible taught me how to concentrate the magic and direct it at something specific, rather than having it burst out of me at odd times. We never finished our lessons, obviously, but I studied the Grimmerie while it was in my possession. I managed to retain some basic spells. I'm not sure how many of them I'll actually be able to pull off, but…" She trailed off, looking uneasy.

"What? What is it?" He prodded encouragingly.

She hesitated, then reached beneath the cloak into one of the pockets of her dress. She pulled out a folded piece of paper. "After I learned the effects of the spell I cast on Boq, I realized the one I cast on you might have a similar effect. See, I didn't cast a spell specifically to turn him to tin. I simply cast one so that he would not need a heart, or blood, and that's what it came out to be. That's what makes the Grimmerie so mysterious, I guess. I didn't know what exactly my spell would turn you into, but I assumed it would somehow alter your form. I knew it would be irreversible, but I realized that if there were spells to alter the form of humans, there must be spells to alter the form of others." She carefully unfolded the piece of paper. He could see foreign words scribbled upon it. "I didn't have much time before Glinda arrived at Kiamo Ko, but I managed to copy a spell that could help."

"Elphaba, you're amazing," he sputtered in disbelief. He felt both guilty and strangely elated that, as she waited to stage her surrender to the mob coming for her, she was worrying about him.

Elphaba shook her head sadly. "I'm far from amazing, Fiyero. I turned you into this. And what if this spell backfires and turns you into something even worse?"

"Hey," he said soothingly, reaching out to lay a hand on her cheek, forcing her to meet his eyes. "I told you, I don't mind living like this, since it means being alive at all. If you don't want to try the spell, then don't. I won't hold it against you in the slightest. But I do have faith in your ability, Elphaba. And I don't care what you turn me into, as long as we're together. That's all that matters to me."

Though her eyes remained sad and serious, he saw a small smile playing at her lips. "What if I turn you into a tea saucer?"

He couldn't help but smile. "Then you better carry me around very carefully so I don't break."

Her smile widened a bit before she broke from his gaze and looked at the ground, still clearly uncertain.

"We don't have to decide anything tonight, you know. Why don't you at least sleep on it?" He suggested.

Slowly, she looked up at him and nodded. "Okay."

He reached again into his bag and pulled out the remaining cloaks, spreading one for them to lie on and the other on top of them. He moved the bag with its remaining contents so it could serve as a pillow. Not the most comfortable arrangement, but it would have to do. Once they were situated, he reached out for Elphaba and was relieved when she came willingly into his arms, resting her head on his chest.

"You do at least make a pretty good pillow this way," she joked as the straw under his shirt sagged slightly under the weight of her head. He chuckled at her joke, though he could tell she had said it mostly for his benefit. Her voice still sounded impossibly sad to him. With all that she'd been through lately, he couldn't blame her. He knew he'd have to make her talk about it at some point, about everything, if only to simply make her work through the pain of it all, but tonight was not the night. They had a long journey ahead of them and plenty of time to talk. What they needed right now was rest.

So Fiyero ran his hand through her silky hair and tangled his fingers in its tresses before lowering a kiss to the crown of her head. He felt her sigh.

"Goodnight, Elphaba," he whispered.

"Goodnight, Fiyero."

* * *

Glinda stepped through the doorway of her room in the castle and quickly shut it behind her, wanting nothing more than to be alone. Slowly, without really thinking about it, she made her way over to the large window on the opposite wall and gazed down upon Oz. She could see the celebration had continued without her as she watched people clad in green and gold dancing along the yellow brick road and into the main square. Before she could stop herself, she wrenched the curtains shut with more force than was necessary, nearly pulling the curtain rods off the wall. Numbly, she turned from the window and allowed herself to sink to the floor, resting her back against the wall.

Truth be told, she didn't even know how she'd made it this far through the day. She supposed it was pure adrenaline that had pushed her through her banishing the wizard and imprisoning Madame Morrible. It was only when she was back in her bubble, pronouncing the death of the "Wicked Witch" that she felt her façade begin to crumble. She plastered a smile on her face and celebrated with her people as long as she was able before slipping away quietly into the palace. The ramifications of everything that had happened were just beginning to truly dawn on her. She was the ruler of Oz now, a job with so much more responsibility than the figurehead position she'd envisioned for herself when she began working in the Emerald City. She had never been into politics, that had always been Elphaba's realm.

A stab of pain hit her so suddenly and intensely, she nearly doubled over. _Oh, Elphie._ She hadn't allowed herself to relive what had happened at Kiamo Ko until this moment. She could still picture the fire that burned in her friend's eyes as she prepared herself to surrender. She could still hear Elphaba's voice, lacking its usual hard edge, as she spoke of how their friendship had changed her. She could still feel those slender arms hugging her in comfort, in farewell.

The tears started slowly, but once the flashes of what she'd seen through that curtain started to fill her mind, the floodgates opened. She cried because it was unfair that she should be sitting here, a world of possibility stretched before her, simply because she had been unwilling to make the brave sacrifices Elphaba had. She cried because she would have to go through the rest of her life lying about the purest and most incredible person she had ever known. She cried because every bone in her body ached to tell the world who had really restored a sense of peace and happiness to Oz. Mostly, though, she cried because she'd lost the only person in the world she truly cared about.

She would go on, she knew that. Tomorrow she would put on a cheerful face and she would begin the task of reversing the Animal bans. She would make sure that Elphaba hadn't died in vain. She would make Oz the place they had always dreamed it would be. She would do it for her friend, because it was the only thing she could do to honor her.

But for tonight at least, she would grieve.

* * *

Elphaba awoke with a start. Taking in her surroundings, she realized that she was still in the cave in the Elkin Forest and, judging from the soft breathing coming from above her head, Fiyero was still sleeping. As the haziness of sleep continued to fade from her, she tried to remember what had woken her so suddenly, for her exhausted and aching body was telling her that she couldn't possibly have slept more than a few hours. She knew it had been some kind of dream, but it seemed to be slipping rapidly from her mind. Focusing hard, she recalled feeling unbearable sadness and loss. And then, it suddenly came rushing back to her all at once. _Glinda_.

She still couldn't recall what she'd seen in the dream, but she remembered vividly how she'd felt. Her friend's grief had been palpable, overwhelming. Elphaba suddenly felt guilt flood her entire body. She had destroyed so many lives, trying to do good. And while she promised herself Glinda would be the last one she hurt, it didn't soothe the pain. She felt as if she was constantly being punished for something. Suffering through her unpleasant childhood and all the challenges that had come along with her verdigris had been bad enough. She hadn't realized then that watching the people she loved suffer would be so much worse. She would gladly take on their suffering in a heartbeat.

Suddenly, it was all too much. She felt as if she couldn't breathe. She bolted upright in the semi-darkness, rocking gently, trying desperately to dispel all the horrible thoughts and images from her mind. After a moment, her gaze had wandered back to Fiyero to see if she'd woken him. Seeing him slumbering on, she realized that his straw body probably couldn't feel the movement or the loss of her body's warmth against him. And then a realization struck her.

She reached into her pocket, extracting the folded piece of paper once again. There hadn't been anything she could do for Nessa, for Dr. Dillamond, and there was nothing she could do for Glinda now, but Fiyero… She'd been able to save him from the Gale Force and now she held the possibility of setting him right again in her hands. Though she'd been hesitant last night, it suddenly seemed utterly foolish not to at least try. And why not now, while he was sleeping? Save him any pain he may go through, as Chistery had when she'd forced those wings upon him. She'd made her decision. She quickly unfolded the piece of paper and took a deep breath before summoning all the power she had within her. As she had many times before, she chanted words of language she could yet couldn't understand all at once. She waved her hands over Fiyero's sleeping form as she repeated in the incantation, over and over again.

After several moments, her throat was beginning to go raw and her hands were growing tired. Just as she was about to give up, she heard something. It sounded almost like a rustling noise. It was hard to tell in the dimness of the cave, but she swore she saw straw falling to the ground. She quickly redoubled her concentration and kept repeating the spell. After several more minutes, she was forced to stop, having almost no energy left in her body. She'd forgotten how exhausting complex magic could be. She kept her eyes closed for a moment, terrified of what she would see when she opened them. Suddenly, she heard a movement from beneath her. She knew she'd woken Fiyero. Slowly, painfully, she forced her eyes open.

He was looking up at her, a confused expression written all over his face. _His face! _His dark skin had never looked so beautiful, even though she could see her spell-work had resulted in some slight scarring. To her, he was as perfect as he had ever been, if not more so. Before she could help herself, she felt her eyes fill with tears.

"Elphaba, what's wrong?" He asked, clearly concerned.

She let out a chuckle. "Nothing's wrong," she replied, as she reached for his hand and brought it up, within hers, into his line of vision. He continued to stare at her, perplexed, for a moment before he realized what she was showing him. His gaze shifted and his expression turned to one of awe. He brought his free hand up to feel the skin on his face before quickly unbuttoning his shirt and brushing the layer of straw away to reveal his utterly human chest. He looked back up at her, smiling wide, before completely engulfing her in his embrace.

"You did it. I knew you could do it," he whispered into her ear. She closed her eyes, allowing one solitary tear to escape, and let out a deep breath, feeling her little remaining energy leave with it. She sagged against Fiyero, allowing him to support all of her weight. He must have felt it, because he quickly tightened his hold around her.

"You okay?" He asked gently.

"I will be," she replied softly. "Sometimes complicated spells just sap my energy for a while."

"Well, then you should rest," he told her as he lowered them both back onto the cloak beneath them. With one arm, he held her tightly against him as the other reached down to cover them again with the cloak. He pressed a lingering kiss to her forehead. "Sleep for as long as you need," he whispered into her ear. "I'll be right here."

That was all she needed to hear. She faded quickly into a dreamless slumber.

**A/N**: Okay, so this was mostly just a set-up chapter, but I hope you enjoyed it anyway. We haven't even begun to get to one of the major plot-points yet. Sorry if Fiyero's transition seemed abrupt, I just found I couldn't really right scarecrow Fiyero very well, it just disturbed me, so I decided to get that out of the way early. And also, I did some research on the original Wizard of Oz books and Ev was mentioned in some of them as a country near Oz, so I sort of just went with that. Everything about it is based on my imagination. Anyway, please review and I'll get the next chapter up soon!


	2. Winter Tucks Her Children In

**Title**: Our Endless Numbered Days

**Author**: GreenGirl96

**Disclaimer**: Wicked is not mine. I don't live in a fantasy world, I just write about one.

**A/N**: Thanks to those of you who read and reviewed the first chapter, I really appreciate it! I've been writing a lot lately and there's so much to come! This is still mostly a chapter to establish the characters and their relationships, but I promise this story will start to develop a real plot and then that plot will get twisted around like crazy lol. But, for now, enjoy some simple Fiyeraba.

* * *

Chapter Two: Winter Tucks Her Children In

Fiyero let Elphaba slumber on into the afternoon. He considered letting her continue to rest and just staying another night in the cave, but he realized that if his newly restored bones were already aching, hers must be killing her. He figured the best thing was to get her to a real shelter as soon as possible. So, finally, he allowed himself to wake her so that they could still get a decent amount of travel in the day, maybe even figure out their exact location.

"You sure you're up for this?" Fiyero asked her as he began to re-pack their things.

"Do I have a choice?" She asked sarcastically.

"Well, I'm not going to set out for hours of travel if you're not feeling up to it," he assured her as he moved to put out the fire.

Elphaba shook her head adamantly. "No, really, I'm okay. The longer we delay, the longer we have to keep living like this. If it weren't so cold, I'd say we should walk through the night."

"Well, I wouldn't go that far, but I'm ready to get going when you are."

"Alright, let's go."

With the sun high in the sky, the journey was much more bearable than it had been the previous night. For the first hour, Fiyero made sure to watch Elphaba carefully for any sign that she may have set out before she was ready, but she seemed to be holding strong. They traveled on in relative silence, the rare comment or question arising here and there. After a good half-day's travel, he managed to persuade her to take a short break and eat some of the food he'd stored in his satchel. She seemed preoccupied as she ate and Fiyero couldn't help but simply watch her. He found himself going over the recent weeks in his mind. It seemed incredible to him that he and Elphaba had only been, well, together for about two weeks. He supposed the attraction had been there for much longer, but it was still hard to believe, especially considering how close he felt to her. He trusted her with his life, as he had shown when he had been willing to let her perform powerful magic on him without any assurance of its outcome. And like he knew she would, she had completely rewarded that trust.

He must have been staring at her, for she suddenly looked up at him and blushed. "Why are you looking at me like that?" She questioned shyly.

He hesitated, wondering if voicing his thoughts would make her uncomfortable. For what little he knew about this woman, he did at least know that she wasn't exactly comfortable with strong emotions, hers or anyone else's. But he also realized that, though neither had said it aloud, they were setting out on a journey that placed them together for a very significant time, if not forever. So he threw caution to the wind.

"I was just thinking that we've been through a lot together in a very short time," he told her simply.

She looked at him solemnly for a moment, before averting her gaze to the ground. It almost seemed as if she'd been expecting him to say something like that. "Fiyero, listen. I know the sacrifices you had to make to come here with me. And I know that barely two weeks ago, you were engaged to Glinda and on track for a much more comfortable life." She looked into his eyes. "I won't hold it against you if, at any point, you decide that you'd rather go back and have that life."

"Oh, Elphaba," he said softly, moving closer to her and taking both of her hands in his. "Don't you realize that I would never have made those sacrifices if I wasn't absolutely certain that you were worth all of it? I won't lie, my life with Glinda was definitely more comfortable than sleeping in caves and trudging through the snow all day," he smiled as this gained him a small laugh on her part, "but it was all so empty. You're the one who made me realize, all that time ago back at Shiz, that life isn't worth living if there isn't something you feel passionate about." He paused, moving one of his hands from hers to tenderly cup her cheek, caressing the skin there with his thumb. "It just took me a while to find that something."

Elphaba simply stared into his eyes, speechless. After a moment, he felt her fingers curl around the back of his neck. He felt their pressure, as if she was pulling him toward her. Needing no further encouragement, he lowered his lips to hers. For a moment, they were incredibly still, just resting against each other, but she soon took the initiative and began to move her lips slowly over his. Wrapping his arm around her, he pulled her closer and deepened the kiss. He felt her other hand come up to clutch at the fabric of his shirt. It felt like a blissful eternity before, finally, he pulled back. Her eyes remained closed and, for some reason, he got the sense that she was afraid to open them and find that she was imagining it all. It broke his heart, because he knew she had never expected anyone in her life to care for her like he did. Tenderly, he leaned toward her again and kissed each of her cheeks, her nose, and her forehead before lowering another quick kiss to her lips. She opened her eyes then and smiled, just barely, but enough.

"As much fun as this is, we should probably get moving again," he suggested softly, his face still close to hers.

She nodded. He helped her to her feet and was surprised when she kept hold of one of his hands even after they had already started to walk.

* * *

It was another two days before Fiyero finally got a sense of where exactly they were and another day after that until they were out of the forest. They had to travel more carefully then, because there was more risk of running into people, but Ev did not seem to be the most populated of countries. Fiyero explained to her one night that this area of Ev was mostly farmland. There were miles and miles between each dwelling. Some nights, they even managed to grab some rest in some of the barns they passed. One night, about a week into their journey, they were still walking long past sunset when the temperature dropped significantly over the span of a few hours. They had resolved to stop as soon as they found somewhere to stay for the night, but it was nearing midnight and they still hadn't found a suitable shelter. Elphaba suggested walking through the night and Fiyero was close to agreeing with her when it suddenly started snowing. And not the light, pretty kind of snow that falls softly, but the kind that blew at them from every angle and felt almost like sharp bits of ice. They tried continuing on for several minutes, but it seemed impossible to see, let alone travel. Fiyero could also tell that Elphaba was not enduring the cold quite as well as he was, though she did her best to hide it.

"We need to get out of this," he said finally, having to raise his voice to be heard over the wind.

"Well where exactly do you suggest we go? We've been looking for some kind of shelter for hours," she replied wearily.

"Well, we may have to stop heading west for a while. I believe that most of the populated land is actually north of us. It may add time onto our trip, but I don't really see a better option right now. The wind will also be behind us that way so we can keep most of the snow out of our faces. It should make for slightly faster travel," he reasoned.

"Alright, let's give it a try."

And so they headed north. It was possibly the most uncomfortable trek Fiyero could ever remember making. After only half an hour, the snow was so deep and the wind so strong that Elphaba was practically clutching onto Fiyero with every step, struggling to stay upright. Fiyero could feel panic starting to set in, unsure how either of them would survive a night like this without freezing to death if they didn't find somewhere to escape from the storm. And then, finally, he saw something so glorious it made his heart skip a beat.

"Is that a light up there?" He asked, pointing off into the distance.

Elphaba looked up, squinting. "I think it is! What are the odds they have some sort of barn or stable?"

"Only one way to find out."

It took them another painful fifteen minutes to reach the source of the light, which did indeed turn out to be a small house. Crossing around to the back, they both held their breaths, praying for a bit of luck. There were no barns, no stables, but there was what appeared to be a small wooden tool shed. Without a word, they headed straight for it. Fiyero pried the door open through the snow and surveyed the inside. It was only partially filled with tools and farming equipment. If they could remove them, there should be enough room for both of them to sit inside of it, maybe even partially lie down to get some rest. Luckily, the shed had a wooden floor that the snow hadn't permeated through yet, so it was mostly dry. It would simply have to do.

"Okay, you keep watch on the house, make sure no one's around to see us and I'll work on clearing it out," Fiyero instructed, half expecting her to object to being ordered around, but was only met with her silent nod. She moved away from him slightly to get a better look at the house and he immediately set to work. The larger of the equipment he moved directly behind the shed so no one could tell anything was amiss by simply looking out the window (he doubted anyone would really want to come outside in this weather). The smaller things he simply buried in the snow, hoping it would suffice. About ten minutes later, he ushered Elphaba inside and shut the door, sealing it as best he could.

Both took a minute to simply sit and catch their breath. Though the shed wasn't much warmer than the outside was, it was an immediate relief to be out of the wind and snow. After several minutes, though, it started to dawn on each of them how cold it truly was, especially now that they were sitting still. Fiyero started to become aware that his clothes were soaked through from the snow. He glanced over at Elphaba and noticed that she was curled into herself as much as possible, holding her knees to her chest and shivering violently. He knew that as cold as he was, she was probably much worse off. He had layers of muscle and fat that she definitely lacked, being as bone thin as she was. And if her hair was wet, she was losing necessary heat from her head.

"I don't suppose you know any spells that could help us," he ventured hopefully.

She shook her head without meeting his eyes. "The only one I can think of is the spell I used to start the fire, but seeing as this whole thing is made of wood, I don't think that'll help us much."

He sighed. "Okay, then we're going to have to do this the old-fashioned way."

She met his eyes then, looking at him wearily. "The old-fashioned way?"

"You never did the whole camping thing as a kid, huh?" She simply raised an eyebrow at that, conveying all she needed to. "Right. Well, I used to go with my father and my brothers and he made sure to talk us through basic survival strategies beforehand, you know, just in case. Luckily, maintaining body heat is one of the more basic concepts, but I'm not sure how you're going to feel about this…"

"Right now, I'd feel comfortable with just about anything that would help me not freeze to death," she assured him with her usual sarcastic edge.

"Well, we'll see," he mumbled, half to himself. "First off, our clothes are soaked through and that's only making things worse. So I'd suggest removing them." He paused, gauging her reaction.

"I only have alternates for my undermost layers. That won't be enough."

"Right, which brings me to the second part. Body heat is best maintained skin to skin," he explained hesitantly. He saw her instantly flush, catching onto exactly what he was saying. He continued quickly. "In a situation like this, you're supposed to remove your clothes and zip both people into one sleeping bag to hold as much of the heat in as possible. Obviously, we'll have to make do with whatever dry cloaks we have." She averted her gaze from his, looking uncomfortable. "Look, Elphaba, I know this is strange. It's awkward for me too. But I don't really see another option here, because I won't have you freezing to death out here."

She was silent another moment. Then, finally, she looked up at him. "My undergarments are staying on," she said firmly.

He smiled, relieved. "Deal."

To help her feel more comfortable, he began removing his layers first. He unwrapped the cloak from around him and started unbuttoning his shirt. Once that was off, he saw Elphaba take the garments and hang them on the hooks on the wall that had held tools on them moments ago. After commenting her on her quick thinking, he proceeded to remove the rest of his layers, but decided to follow her route and keep his under-shorts on. After she'd hung up all of his clothes, he politely turned away, partially to retrieve the dry cloaks from his bag, but mostly to give her the privacy he knew she desired. As he had in the cave, he situated one cloak on the ground and kept the thickest one to wrap around them. When he was done, he turned back to her and saw her crouching against the wall, looking as if she wished she could simply become a part of it. He knew she was uncomfortable about her abnormally colored skin, which was now mostly bared to him, and he wished he could make her understand that he found it beautiful in its own unique way, but he knew that would take time and there were much more important things to attend to presently.

"Come here," he beckoned, holding an arm out to her. She hesitated briefly, but then moved into his arms. He pulled her close, tucking the edges of the cloak beneath them on each side and then wrapped his arms around her back, pulling her straight against his chest. She reciprocated, her arms going around his waist and her legs tangling with his so that almost every inch of skin was in contact with his. Fiyero was surprised to feel how icy Elphaba felt against him. She was still shivering pretty badly as well.

"My God, you're freezing." Concerned, he starting moving his hands across her back, trying to rub some of the warmth back in.

"I'm sorry, I'm probably sapping what little heat you had left."

"It's okay, I've got some to spare," he assured her with a small smile. "I just wish I'd known cold you were getting."

"There was nothing you could've done about it. Besides, I didn't really feel it until we stopped moving."

"Can you still feel everything?" He questioned.

"My feet were getting numb for a while, but I think they're starting to get a little better. I'll be fine," she insisted. He had a feeling she was sounding a lot more certain than she actually felt, but he decided to let it go for now.

"Well, with any luck, we should be able to reach the cottage in another four or five days, but I guess it depends on how long this storm lasts."

"What's the cottage like? Tell me about it," she requested.

"Well, it's on the larger side, for a cottage at least."

"Why does that not surprise me?" She retorted, remembering how the castle she had fled to in Kiamo Ko had been his family's spare.

"Hey, I didn't choose to be in a royal family, I was born into it okay?" He said in a mock-defensive tone. "Anyway, it's two floors, there's three bedrooms, and it's pretty sparse compared to the castle and some of our other homes, but it's quite cozy from what I can recall. I've only stayed there a couple of times."

"How do you know your family won't find us there?"

"Well, with the drastic shift of power in Oz, they'll certainly be required there for a while. Plus, Ev is very independent from Oz. They've never held much of the same politics and there's been a lot of tension between the two countries since the wizard took power. That's mainly why I thought we should come here. If by some chance we are spotted, the people of Ev are probably least likely to turn us in," he explained.

"Smart people," she commented, letting silence settle over them for a moment. "I can't wait to sleep in a real bed," she said softly. He chuckled.

"Yeah, that will definitely be a step up. Although, I wouldn't mind replicating this when we have the bed," he joked, earning him a shake of her head and a sharp pinch to his back. "Ouch! Okay, okay, no pinching," he pleaded, laughing. After a moment of quiet, he leaned down slightly and kissed her forehead, which rested only inches away from his lips. "You feeling any warmer?"

"Yeah, a bit."

"You're still shivering," he observed, squeezing her even more tightly against him.

"It's just the body's way of keeping the muscles going so they can generate heat," she explained, matter-of-factly.

"I see," he replied, smiling. They lapsed into a comfortable silence for a couple of moments before Elphaba let out a couple of deep coughs. He rubbed her back until she was finished and quiet again. "Elphaba?"

"Hmm?"

"Did you ever have any nicknames?" He asked conversationally.

"You mean beside Wicked Witch?" She joked.

"I mean real, affectionate nicknames."

"Well, that would rule out anything my father used to call me… You know Glinda used to call me Elphie."

"Which you hated," he recalled.

"Well, in general yes, but the way she used it grew on me after a while." She paused. "My sister used to call me El when she was small and couldn't pronounce my full name."

"El," he said, trying it out. "That's not bad, but I'm not sure it really suits you. Any others?"

She hesitated. "Actually, one of the few things I remember about my mother is that she used to call me Fae."

"Fae… I like that."

"It's certainly better than Elphie," she remarked, yawning.

"You should try to get some rest while you can," he suggested gently. "I'm not sure how long we'll be able to hole up in here without being noticed."

"We should head out as soon as the storm passes."

"We'll head out as soon as I'm sure you're not hypothermic," he countered.

"I'll be fine," she replied sleepily, her eyes already closed.

"I hope so," he said mostly to himself as she drifted off. He watched her sleep for a while, noticing how much younger she looked when all the worry was wiped from her face. He wished that there were more he could do to make her life easier, but he supposed that neither of their lives would really be easy for a while to come. He just hoped that the cottage would provide them some temporary relief until they came up with a long-term plan.

After another minute, he felt Elphaba finally stop shivering against him. With a sigh of relief, he finally lowered his head, resting his forehead against hers, and allowed his heavy eyelids to slip shut.

**A/N**: Ok, that's all for now. Please tell me what you think, good or bad- it really does motivate me. Next chapter- another glance into Glinda's life and some problems for the couple on the run! Go review and I'll get it out soon!


	3. She Chose a Yard to Burn

**A/N**: So I decided to make a few changes to the chapter names, which you might have noticed. My chapter names were starting to sound too simple and lame so I decided to use lyrics from the song that inspired this story's name, "Passing Afternoon," from now on. I found that a lot of them were quite fitting, so we'll hope it works. Anyway, here's the next installment. I'm trying to keep writing ahead so that I can keep posting as frequently as possible. Thanks again for the reviews, I read and appreciate every one of them!

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Chapter Three: She Chose a Yard to Burn

Glinda had been the official ruler of Oz for exactly a week. And she was utterly exhausted. She'd spent most of her days working on restoring Animal rights and appointing a new governor for Munchkinland. All that day, she'd had meetings with the leaders of the various regions of Oz. She now prepared for the last meeting with a sense of dread, for it was a meeting with the rulers of the Vinkus- Fiyero's parents.

She had met them once before, at her engagement ball. The day, though only weeks ago, now seemed as it if had been a part of another lifetime. She still hadn't quite worked out what she was going to say to them. As far as they were concerned, Fiyero had died for his betrayal of the Wizard and of Oz itself, but Glinda obviously knew that this was not the case. Many Ozians were under the belief that their dear captain of the guard had been tricked into running off with Elphaba, perhaps put under one of her spells. She imagined this was easier for most people to believe than the alternative, especially his own family.

She greeted them in the sitting room, easily noting the pained look each of them held in their eyes through their kind greetings.

"It's good to see you again, my dear Glinda," Fiyero's mother said as she kissed Glinda on each cheek.

"It's good to see you both, although I wish it were under better circumstances," she replied, fighting back threatening tears. "I am so sorry for your loss. I hope you both know that I cared for Fiyero very deeply and I will truly miss him."

"Thank you," Fiyero's father, the king, replied in a rough voice. "We heard that you fought the Wizard and his guards on their harsh punishment of our son. We appreciate that very much."

"I'm just sorry I couldn't do more," Glinda replied sadly. Before she could help herself, she went on. "And no matter what anyone in Oz says, I want you to know that I believe his motives were pure."

"As do we," the king agreed. "We knew our son better than anyone and he was a good man. I know that he must have had his reasons. I only wish he could have had the time to explain them."

"From some of what Fiyero wrote to us, it seemed as if he was losing faith in the Wizard's power to lead. And, well, I suppose I can speak freely now…?" The queen asked cautiously before continuing.

"Of course," said Glinda eagerly.

"Well, you see, we always had suspicions about the way things were being run here. Things just never seemed quite right since the Wizard came to power. I believe that Fiyero was close to learning the truth about it all before his death. I just… I have this feeling that things didn't really play out the way people think they did, but I guess we'll never know."

Glinda stared at the royal couple, speechless. She'd had no idea that there were others in Oz that had had suspicions of the Wizard, nor that Fiyero had been writing to his parents about his work with the Gale Force. For one glorious moment, she considered telling them everything- the truth about Elphaba, Fiyero, and the Wizard. But before she could, a cold realization dawned on her. She had promised Elphaba she would not tell a soul. She hadn't understood her friend's reasoning then, but she thought she was finally beginning to. If people heard her story and didn't believe it, her power would be greatly undermined. She could be labeled as a traitor and hunted down as quickly as her green friend had been. And then she could never have the chance to do all the things that Elphaba had left to her. After only a week in her position, she couldn't take the chance, even with Fiyero's parents.

"I can't speak as to what the Wizard was doing while he was in power, but I can agree with you that none of us truly knew the whole story. I can also tell you that he was happy before he died. I think he'd finally found something he'd been searching for a long time. And he wasn't afraid," she assured them, as much truth as she could offer.

She watched as the pair smiled sadly at her. "Thank you, Glinda. We're glad to see that Oz is in good hands now."

* * *

Fiyero was of jolted awake by a sudden movement. As he came to awareness, the sound of Elphaba's coughing reached his ears. Her coughing sounded severe and concern suddenly flooded him as he rubbed her back soothingly, waiting for the fit to subside. After a moment she settled and was able to take a couple of deep breaths.

"You okay?" He asked worriedly.

"I'm fine, it's just a cough. No big deal," she assured him, still sounding a little out of breath.

"You sound awful. I hope the cold didn't make you sick."

"I'm sure it sounds worse than it is. And you can't get sick from the cold, that's an old wives tale," she corrected him.

"Well it can't help matters anyway. Speaking of which, were you warm enough to get some sleep?" He asked.

"Yeah, I slept pretty well. You give off a surprising amount of heat," she said teasingly.

"Yeah, well, I happen to-"

She cut him off. "No male-ego comments, please."

He chuckled. "Fine. You want to try and get a little more rest?"

"Not if the storm's let up. We need to get out of here before anyone comes out here and spots us. And it seems like it's already starting to get light outside," she observed, noticing the soft blue light streaming in through the cracks in the wood.

"Well, I don't hear the wind howling anymore, so we might be in luck. Let me take a look," he said, sitting up and reaching out to push open the door slightly. Elphaba shifted so that she could see as well. Though there had been several inches of new accumulation, the snow was no longer falling and the wind had died down completely. It seemed so utterly silent outside that it was almost eerie. Fiyero shut the door again, keeping the cold away from their unclothed bodies.

"Shall we?" He asked.

And with that, they both got up and began removing their clothes from the hooks, relieved to find that only the cloaks were still damp and they had replacements for those. They dressed quickly and Fiyero left Elphaba to gather their things as he began to bring the tools and such back into the shed, trying to match where they had been before. Elphaba stepped outside when he began moving the larger equipment back in. He thought he heard her coughing again as he was situating some of it inside, but he chose not to comment to her when he emerged. She handed him the bag and they set off.

They headed south again, back onto their previous route, where they were relieved to find the snow hadn't accumulated quite as much. Their journey was slow going, though, as the snow was still up to their shins. Elphaba was exhausted. Truth be told, she'd only managed to get about three hours of sleep the night before and it wasn't as if she'd had much more than that any other night since they arrived in Ev. Trekking through the deep snow was difficult and she could feel her muscles starting to ache. What was worse, her coughing only seemed to get worse in the cold air and she was finding it harder and harder to catch her breath after each fit. Fiyero must have noticed that she was having a hard time, for he suggested they stop and rest much earlier than he normally would have.

He reached into his satchel to find some food and she could tell by the panicked look that he quickly suppressed that they were running very low. He pulled out a chunk of bread and tore it in half, handing her a piece.

"You should take more than half, you need it more than I do," she insisted.

"You need to eat, Elphaba."

"And I will, but I'm much smaller than you and I'm used to lasting for long periods without much food," she responded, tearing part of her bread off to hand over to him.

"And what happens when you faint from starvation?" He challenged.

"Then at least you'll have enough strength to carry me." He continued to gaze at her skeptically. "Fine, if you don't eat it, it's going in the snow." She held it out in front of her, ready to let go.

Reluctantly, he reached out his hand and took the bread from her. "You're impossible."

She said nothing, just gave him a small but triumphant smile. They ate for a moment in silence and then began to gather their things to continue on. "The sky's starting to look dangerous again," she observed as they began to walk.

"Well, it's warmed a bit, so we can hope that it's not more snow. Although I'm not sure rain would be much better. We'll just have to settle in the first place we find once the sun sets so we don't risk another night like the last."

That place turned out to be a stable about two acres away from a small farmhouse. It was nearing ten at night when they came across it and immediately decided to take refuge. There were three horses housed inside and some large piles of hay that could make for slightly more comfortable sleeping arrangements than what they were used to at that point. Staying in barns and stables with living animals was always a risk, since farmhands were usually up quite early to feed and care for the animals, but thus far they'd always made sure to leave before the sun had risen.

Fiyero glanced over at Elphaba, who had immediately lowered herself onto a stack of hay to rest. It was hard to tell with the unusual color of her skin, but he swore she looked a paler shade of green than normal. Toward the end of the day, she'd been unable to hide her cough from him any longer and had even consented to several short breaks so she could catch her breath. He was truly worried about her. Thus far it didn't seem like anything worse than symptoms associated with a common cold, but these conditions certainly weren't helping her any.

Fiyero was torn from his musings by the sound of a soft pounding on the roof, causing them both to jump a little. "Sounds like sleet," he said after listening a moment.

"I guess we found this place just in time," she remarked softly.

"I guess so. And while we're here, we should take full advantage and get some sleep." She wordlessly nodded her agreement and moved to spread some hay on the ground as he set up the cloaks as usual. He smiled inwardly at their simple routine, how words were no longer needed when it came to everyday tasks such as this. He was grateful that, even if nothing else in their lives right now were comfortable, he was at least able to feel comfortable with her.

Once everything was set up, they laid down and fell easily into each other's arms, though not quite as tightly bound as they had been the previous night. After a few brief coughing fits, Elphaba drifted off to sleep quickly. He knew she was more exhausted than she'd been letting on and he only hoped that, for once, she might be able to get a decent amount of sleep. It was only moments before he found himself giving into his own exhaustion and followed her quickly into dreamland.

Fiyero awoke groggily when the earliest rays of sun were streaming into the stable. He was mildly surprised to find that they had both slept this long. Elphaba was always one to be up at the crack of dawn even when she had been back at Shiz. He'd heard Glinda complain about her roommate's early waking habits several times. He remembered how fitfully Elphaba had slept the night before, though, and was grateful they had been able to steal an extra hour or two without being noticed. He knew they couldn't risk it any further, though, so he gently shook Elphaba to wake her. It took a minute, but her eyes opened slowly and found his. He noticed that they looked a bit glassy and unfocused and he found himself even more desperate to reach their final destination soon so she could finally have a proper night's rest.

"Hey," he said softly, his hand rubbing small circles on her back. "I hate to wake you, but we have to get moving soon."

She blinked a few times, trying to regain her focus, and then nodded up at him. She delicately extracted herself from him and sat up, rubbing her eyes. He decided to let her wake up for a moment while he folded the cloaks and packed up. When he was done, he donned his traveling cloak and removed the thickest one from his satchel to give to Elphaba. He turned to her, noticing that she was still sitting on the hay, but she was crouched awkwardly. He crossed to her front and kneeled down, noticing that her eyes were squeezed shut and she was pressing her fingers against her temples.

"Fae?" He said softly, the nickname slipping easily from his lips. "What's wrong?"

She opened her eyes suddenly, obviously unaware that he had been crouching right in front of her. There was something about the way she was looking at him that seemed slightly off, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it.

"It's just this damn headache. It started sometime last night and apparently decided to make a reappearance. I'm sure I can just walk it off," she assured him, but her tone sounded unconvincing to both of them.

"Well, maybe we should wait a minute, see if it at least dies down a bit," he suggested, knowing that she was in more pain than she would ever let on. Before she could argue, he placed his hand on her shoulder, guiding her to lie back against the hay. He reached into his satchel and found the canteen, which he had filled with melting snow the night before. "Here, drink some water," he urged her, placing the canteen in her hands and watching her sip at it slowly before handing it back and closing her eyes. He reached out to brush her cheek tenderly in a gesture of comfort, but was stopped cold the moment his fingers made contact with her skin. His heart stopped as he moved his hand to lay his palm flat against her forehead, confirming his fears.

"Elphaba, you're burning up!"

Her eyes cracked open and she took in the look of utter panic on his face. Had her head not been pounding, she would have laughed at him. "No, I'm okay, I just need a minute," she murmured groggily.

"You're not okay. You're sick," he responded firmly. Leaping into action, he reached into his bag and tore a piece of cloth from one of the extra cloaks. He exited the stable briefly to dip it in the snow, allowing the cold liquid to saturate it. When he returned, he kneeled beside her again and pressed the cloth gently into her forehead. She started at the feeling of the icy liquid dripping down her face, but he held it there firmly. "You rest a minute, okay?"

"No, Fiyero, we've stayed here too long as it is. Walking isn't going to make it any worse. We can at least set out until we find somewhere safer," she argued, moving to sit up. He blocked her attempt with a firm hand on her shoulder, keeping her down.

"We have no idea how long that could take… And I don't know if you'll be able to make it that far in this state." He took a deep breath in and let out a heavy sigh, looking away from her to take in his surroundings. "Okay, you sit here for a minute. I've got a plan."

Normally, she would have peppered him with questions, but she simply remained silent, allowing him to take over. Her eyes slipped shut and she tried to focus on her breathing, willing away the pain. She didn't know how long she lay like that, but the ache had started to ebb slightly when she felt his hand, softly brushing a piece of hair from her face. She opened her eyes and looked up at him.

He was kneeling above her, gripping some sort of rope in his hand. As she eased herself into a sitting position, she realized that it wasn't a rope he was holding- it was reins. Looming above them was smallest of the three horses in the stable, saddled and ready.

"We can't steal a horse!" She protested, suddenly feeling slightly more lucid.

"We're not stealing it. I left more money than it could possibly be worth in its place. I don't think the owners will even be inclined to report her stolen," he assured her, offering a hand to help her up.

"We'll be more easily noticed on a horse. And it'll be much harder to find somewhere to settle for the night when we have to her to worry about as well," Elphaba argued, regretting it slightly when her headache started to flare again.

"We'll be careful about being spotted. And we'll get there much faster by horse, possibly even by morning."

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" She questioned, feeling her resolve weaken.

"It's the best I can think of right now. Whether you want to admit it or not, we need to get you out of this environment. A fever we should be able to handle, but Oz only knows what we would do if you got worse and we had to find medicine somewhere."

Even she couldn't argue with that, and he knew it. If she were to fall ill enough to need real treatment, they would likely have to expose themselves and that was something she couldn't let happen. Nodding her agreement, she followed Fiyero as he led the horse outside the stable and watched as he tested her capability to move through the snow. Once he was satisfied, he turned to Elphaba and she allowed him to help her onto the saddle. He climbed on behind her, reaching around her on both sides to take hold of the reins. Once he was certain she was safe and settled on the horse, he gently dug his heel into the horse's side and guided her to a gallop.

**A/N**: Okay so not a whole lot happened in this chapter, but you do want to find out what happens with Elphaba's illness, right? Well, hopefully you do! Next chapter, find out and see what happens when they finally make it to the cottage. In the meantime, go review!


	4. Blind as Night

**A/N**: Thanks for the reviews guys, it's good to know that people are actually reading this! And thanks to GraniaMhaol for the correction, it's all fixed now. Clearly, I don't have too much experience with horses lol. I hope you guys enjoy this latest installment. I'm currently at about 88 pages with this story overall and it's been an interesting ride so far, so I hope you guys will stick with it. There's much drama to come!

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Chapter Four: Blind as Night

They traveled straight through till sunset, stopping only briefly to let the horse rest and so that Fiyero could check on Elphaba and make sure she was staying hydrated. After he assured himself that she had at least gotten no worse, they set off again. Fiyero calculated that they should be able to make it to the cottage a couple hours before sunrise if the horse was able to keep up its pace. Traveling at night was easier, because he didn't have to go out of his way to avoid farms and houses. Even if someone were to spot them riding by, they wouldn't be able to make out Elphaba's unusual skin color through the darkness and the cover of her cloak. They would probably just assume it was some couple out for a romantic nighttime ride. He wished that were the case.

Elphaba remained silent through most of the journey. The sound of her coughing every once in a while started to become somewhat reassuring to him, letting him know that she was still with him. Sometime past midnight, he felt her lean back into him and drop her head onto his shoulder, turning her face into his neck. He could feel her burning skin against his and he managed to shift the reins into one hand so he could use his free arm to hold her against him. He murmured words of comfort into her ear as he tried to help her keep her head still against him despite the constant jostling. After a while, he was pretty sure she had drifted off, proving to him how truly exhausted she must have been.

He was relieved when they finally reached their destination, feeling quite bleary-eyed himself. The cottage looked just as he remembered it, if not even more picturesque with the layer of snow coating its roof. He guided the horse to stop near the entrance and then glanced down at Elphaba, who still lay against his shoulder. She appeared to be completely dead to the world and the last thing he wanted to do was wake her for fear of her headache returning. It took him a minute of strategic maneuvering, but he finally managed to slide off the horse, while still using his hands to balance her on its saddle. Once his feet were firmly on the ground, he eased her down and into his arms. He knew she would have objected firmly to being carried had she been more conscious, but he decided it was worth the risk of being reprimanded later. He carried her toward the door, managing to balance most of her weight on one arm while he used the other to work free a loose brick on the cottage, where he knew he would find a spare key. He thanked whatever higher power had gifted him with such a good memory.

He opened the door, trying not to jostle Elphaba too much, and immediately strode through the kitchen and made his way upstairs. He debated briefly which bedroom to settle her into and then remembered that the room his parents had used had the most spacious bed, which would be ideal since he was certainly not leaving her alone in this state. He had no idea when the house had last been occupied, but the bed was made up and looked clean and that was good enough for him. He reached down carefully and pulled back the blankets before depositing Elphaba on the bed. He pulled the blankets back up to her waist, not wanting to overheat her. He took a moment to look down at her in the dim light and gently brushed a strand of hair from her face. Sighing, he forced himself to get up so that he could attend to the necessary things before turning his full attention back to her.

After he had settled the horse in the small stable behind the cottage, he made sure to lock both locks on the door and went around the house to verify that all the curtains were shut. He lit the heating stove in the bedroom and then focused again on the sleeping figure on the bed. Turning on the bedside lamp, he saw that her forehead now shone with perspiration. Quickly setting to work, he managed to lift her slightly and remove her cloak, but noticed that the thick dress she wore underneath wasn't ideal for cooling her body down. He knew that modesty was a big issue for her and he loathed the idea at invading her privacy. He reached out to caress her cheek as he softly called her name, half hoping she would wake and tell him what to do, but she showed no reaction. Sighing, he remembered that she had consented to stripping to her undergarments to warm herself against him the other night. This situation seemed no less urgent, so he steeled himself and turned her so he could unbutton the dress.

Once he'd removed most of her layers, keeping her undergarments on of course, he moved to the bureau across the room and rummaged through it until he found a simple dressing gown that must have belonged to his mother. He eased Elphaba into a sitting position and slipped the gown over her head, maneuvering her arms through the short sleeves. Finally, he allowed her to settle back against the pillows again. He then made his way to the small bathroom connected to the bedroom and found a cloth. Soaking it in cold water, he brought it back out and laid it gently across her forehead. She shifted a bit and groaned at the sensation, but remained asleep. Unable to think of anything else he could do for her, he crawled onto the bed and lay on his side, watching her.

He wanted to remain awake in case she woke up and panicked at the sight of the unfamiliar surroundings, but he felt his eyelids drooping traitorously. The strain of their journey was finally catching up with him now that he was still and quiet. After a moment, he gave in and switched off the lamp, allowing himself to doze, his hand resting against Elphaba's arm so that she would wake him if she stirred. He allowed himself to drop off for a few hours, waking again when the sun had risen. He glanced over at Elphaba, but it didn't seem as if she'd moved even the slightest bit. He forced himself out of the comfortable bed and changed the cloth on her forehead for a fresh one. He rested the palm of his hand against her cheek to gauge her temperature. As best he could tell, she was just about the same. After watching her sleep for another couple of minutes, he drifted off again himself.

He repeated this ritual every few hours until evening when his hunger finally outweighed his exhaustion. He went downstairs to explore the contents of the kitchen. He knew he couldn't expect much as it had probably been over a year since his family had visited this house, but he was relieved to at least find some canned goods that could get them through the next several days until they could figure out a way to obtain some fresher food. He settled on heating some soup on the stove, making sure to set aside some for Elphaba. He ate quickly and then filled another bowl and set it on a tray to carry upstairs. He found the master bedroom still silent and he set the tray down on the nightstand so he could switch on the lamp. Settling himself on the edge of the bed beside Elphaba's sleeping form, he brushed her cheek with one hand and settled the other on her arm. He called her name softly several times and was relieved when he saw her eyes finally flutter open.

He smiled down at her. "Hey there."

She blinked a few times and then returned his smile with a small one of her own. "Hi," she replied, her voice a little hoarse. Her smile was quickly replaced with a look of confusion as she surveyed her surroundings. "Did I miss something?"

He couldn't help but chuckle. "You've been pretty out of it, my dear. You fell asleep while we were still traveling. We got here just before sunrise and you seemed dead to the world, so I decided to just let you rest." He reached out to remove the cloth on her forehead and feel the skin underneath. "I think your fever's gone down a bit at least."

"Please tell me you at least got some rest too."

"I did. I actually just got up to see what kind of food I could scrounge up. I brought you some soup if you're feeling up to it." He gestured to the tray on the nightstand.

"That actually sounds good right now." She pushed herself into a sitting position and only then seemed to notice her attire. "Um, where did this come from?" She asked, a slight blush making its way onto her cheeks.

"My family keeps some clothing here for when we visit. I found it in the bureau over there. I couldn't let you sleep in all those layers you were wearing. Don't worry, I was a gentleman, I swear. I only removed what I had to," he assured her, attempting to keep a blush off his own face.

She eyed him for a moment and then nodded. "I trust you." She said it simply enough, but he knew that, coming from her, that meant a lot.

He moved the tray onto her lap and watched her silently for a moment as she ate. "How's your head feeling?"

"Better… I just still feel really wiped out," she answered honestly. Again, he recognized the fact that she was allowing herself to admit weakness as another show of trust. It felt good to know that he was finally beginning to break through some of the enormous walls she'd spent so many years building around herself.

"Well, your temperature's still high, but with some rest and barring any complications, you should be back to normal in a couple of days." He paused. "I thought you said the cold doesn't make you sick."

"It doesn't, really. But it does lower your immune system's ability to fight off infections that may already be present. I had the beginnings of a cold when we arrived in Ev. The stress, the temperatures, and the lack of sleep just exacerbated it, I suppose," she explained calmly.

He gazed at her in awe. "How do you know all this?"

"Why do you think I was studying Life Sciences at Shiz? I thought about becoming a doctor for a time."

He considered this for a moment. "I can see that. Not much in the way of a bedside manner, but otherwise, you'd make a good doctor."

She smiled at his good-natured rib, but her smile quickly turned sad. "Well, I guess we'll never know if that's true, will we?"

He reached out and tenderly brushed his fingers against her cheek. "Never say never," he said softly. She searched his eyes for a moment, amazed at the devotion she saw within them. She had always been such a solitary creature, but she suddenly found herself breathless at the thought of facing whatever lay ahead without him by her side. She nodded at him, acknowledging his hope, even if she didn't quite share it. He nodded back, understanding.

Suddenly, her exhaustion washed over her like a wave and she allowed herself to lean back against the headboard. He removed the tray from her lap, setting it on the floor for the time being. He straightened up, returning his gaze to her, and his heart swelled at how small and innocent she suddenly looked, lying back with her hair fanned out behind her and her eyelids beginning to droop. Before he could stop himself, he leaned forward to kiss her.

She stopped him suddenly with a firm hand on his chest. "You shouldn't. Whatever this is could be contagious."

He smiled softly at her and took her hand from his chest, holding it in his. "Worth a little risk," he said simply, completing his journey to her lips before she could protest. He kissed her softly, chastely, before pulling back and easing her to fully lie down again. "Get some rest," he instructed gently.

"What about you?"

"Don't worry about me. I'm just going to take care of a few things and then I'll join you," he assured her.

She nodded, allowing her eyes to slip shut. He switched off the light and then watched her for a moment before leaning down, allowing his lips to brush lightly against her forehead. "Sleep well, my Fae," he whispered. Even in her state of half-sleep, he saw her lips curl into a smile.

* * *

It was another two days before Elphaba had completely recovered and her temperature was back to normal. It had taken less than half that for her to become restless, at which point Fiyero had had to force her to stay in bed and rest. He was aided in this task by the few books he'd been able to find after searching throughout the house. They were mostly below her, books simply written for entertainment purposes, but he had found a book on the history of politics in Ev that must have belonged to his father. This at least kept her quiet and distracted for almost a full day, between meals and a couple of naps.

By the time she was healthy once again, they had nearly run out of the meager food supply that had been left in the cottage. It was clear that one of them was going to have to venture out and purchase more food. The only problem with this was that he was a famous crown prince and she was a green-skinned, so-called Wicked Witch, not to mention the fact that they were both supposed to be dead. It was this dilemma that had them sitting at the kitchen table, discussing ideas while Elphaba wracked her brain for some spell that could aid them.

"There's a simple spell that temporarily clouds the mind of those around you, but I would have to somehow follow you and cast it around you as we moved," she mused, shaking her head.

"That is absolutely not happening. The risk for you is way too great," he responded firmly.

"I'm simply thinking aloud, Fiyero. You don't need to jump into hero-mode." She sighed, looking slightly annoyed, before returning to her thoughts. _At least she's back to her old self_, Fiyero thought to himself.

"I could venture out as covered as possible and find a vagrant who I could pay to bring back some food. Chances are they'd take the money and wouldn't think twice about it," he offered.

"And what are the chances that they'd actually return with food instead of running off with the money?" She asked, though her tone suggested it was hardly a question.

"Well, it would be better than nothing." He tried to keep the frustration out of his voice, not wanting her to mistake it for frustration with her rather than with their situation.

"There's got to be a better way," she mumbled, half to herself. Her eyes wildly searched her surroundings as if the answer would simply jump out at her. Suddenly, she found herself staring at the pointed hat that Glinda had given her so long ago. She couldn't help feeling a pang of sadness, thinking how far that hat had come along this journey. She was momentarily lost amidst her musings when a thought struck her. "I have an idea."

"What?" Fiyero asked curiously, following her eye-line toward the hat. Comprehension dawned on him quickly. "You can cast spells on objects, can't you? Like you did on Nessa's shoes?" He couldn't help but notice the look of pain that filled her eyes at the mention of her recently deceased sister, though she masked it quickly.

"Exactly. It's not a sure thing, not without the Grimmerie, but I think if I tried to mix some of the simpler spells I know, I might be able to magic a hat into distorting facial features."

"Well, then you better do it to one of mine, then, because I don't think your face is what most people would recognize about you," he pointed out with a hint of sarcasm.

"But your skin tone is unique as well," she reminded him, well aware that his dark skin was characteristic of the Vinkus.

"It's not so unusual here. Like I said, this part of Ev is made mostly of farmers who spend most of their lives working outside. Many more people have darker skin tones here than, say, in the Emerald City. It shouldn't be noticeable."

She was quiet for a moment and he got the feeling that she was searching her mind for further argument, but couldn't seem to come up with anything. He knew that she would rather be the one to put herself in danger than have someone do it for her, but that was a habit of hers that he was determined to break. Finally, she relented and requested that he bring her a hat and leave her in peace for a while to figure out the right combination of spells. He obliged quickly, before she could change her mind.

He waited as patiently as he could upstairs for an hour before he finally heard her calling to him from the kitchen. He eagerly rejoined her in the kitchen, where he found her wearing his hat and facing away from him.

"Did it work?" He asked eagerly. She didn't respond, but simply turned slowly to face him. He could feel something strange come over him, like his mind was going slightly hazy. He tried to look into her eyes, but it was as if his eyes were failing to communicate with his brain. He knew that she was standing in front of him and he was seeing her, but his mind couldn't make out her features. It was as if he was trying to recall someone he hadn't seen since childhood and he could only remember a general sense of their appearance, but nothing specific. He rubbed his eyes and shook his head, trying to clear the unusual sensation, but it didn't work.

Finally, she removed the hat from her head and her face instantly came into clear focus. He breathed a sigh of relief and looked at her in utter confusion. "I guess it worked," she said simply, taking in his expression.

He walked up to her, quickly closing the distance between them, and reached both of his hands out to her face as if to reacquaint himself with its features. "Please don't do that again."

"It's okay, it's completely safe," she assured him, misunderstanding his panic.

"No, it's not that, it's just," he paused briefly, "it's just overwhelmingly frightening to not be able to see your face in my mind, let alone with you standing here in front of me."

She couldn't help but laugh. "I have a feeling most of Shiz would have much preferred me in something like this." She said it lightly, but he didn't see the humor. He simply continued to gaze into her eyes and ran his thumbs lightly over her cheeks.

There were so many thoughts that nearly made their way to his lips at that moment. He yearned to tell her that if most of the people at Shiz had bothered to look past her unusual skin-tone, or learned to appreciate it and admire at as he had, they would see the beauty that simply radiated from her. He wanted to tell her that it was the memory of her face that had gotten him through so many dark nights as he pretended to lead the charmed life of an engaged captain of the guard in the Emerald City. He almost found himself expressing to her that the face he now gazed into was the face he wanted to wake up to every day for the rest of his life. But some practical filter between his mind and his mouth told him that there would be a time for such statements later and this simply wasn't it. He didn't want to overwhelm her. He was determined to take this whole thing slowly, for her sake.

So, instead of all these things, he simply shook his head and responded, "not me." And, for the time being, it was enough.

**A/N**: Okay, so I decided not to torture Elphaba too much just yet, but only because I still have so much in store for her! Next chapter- another glance into Glinda's life and a rough night for Fiyero and Elphaba. Now go review, pretty pretty please!


	5. Her Secrets

**A/N:** Just wanted to thank the three of you that took the time to review the last chapter, I appreciate your reviews a lot! I know I posted over a holiday weekend, so I hope people were just busy and not losing interest in the story. I try not to have high expectations where reviews are concerned, but everyone has insecurities, you know? So let me know if you're out there so I can make sure I'm not posting this for no reason lol. Right now I'm working on the twelfth chapter and I'm really starting to like where this story is leading me, because it really has been a very organic process. That being said, I hope you all had a good Valentines Day and long weekend! I just bought my ticket to go see Eden (my favorite ever) and Shoshona perform at Upright in Palm Springs next weekend, so I'm in a pretty good mood haha. Enjoy the chapter!

* * *

Chapter Five: Her Secrets

Elphaba was going stir-crazy. It had been two weeks since they had moved into the cottage they currently called home and Fiyero knew she was starting to feel a little trapped. He was able to make trips into the village by horse with the aid of his newly charmed hat and had done so several times already to stock the house with food and supplies. Elphaba, however, could not even wander past the stable and it had caused quite an argument when she'd even insisted on going that far. Fiyero had been worried about even letting her outside, but realized how much she was starting to feel like a prisoner and had relented.

The cottage was meant to be a temporary home for them until they came up with a better plan, but they had both been so focused on making it this far that they had failed to really consider much beyond it. Truth be told, it was a comfortable home and they were both well aware that, no matter where they went, they needed to let time pass before Elphaba dared venture out in public, even disguised. They seemed to reach some sort of silent agreement that if a better idea came to them, they would bring it up. Otherwise, there was really no point wasting energy discussing their plans for the future, at least not for the time being.

Fiyero was starting to worry about Elphaba, though. She seemed determined to keep busy every day. On the days he was with her all day, he felt like he hardly saw her aside from mealtimes and bed. She had spent a good portion of a week cleaning the entire cottage from top to bottom. She went through all the cupboards and closets, cataloguing what they had and making note of what they still needed to buy. On the days Fiyero would go out to purchase these necessities, he would return to find her either reading or scribbling in a notebook he'd found for her. He had no idea what she was writing about and he got the feeling that she'd rather he not, so he didn't ask. He was glad she was able to keep herself busy rather than go crazy staring at the ceiling all day, but he felt as if they hadn't really talked much since they had arrived there. And what was worse, he felt like she was avoiding it. He felt torn between wanting to get her to open up and wanting to give her what little sense of privacy he could in their cramped situation.

All he knew for sure was that he didn't like feeling distant from the one person he had left in his life.

* * *

The clock struck midnight, chiming throughout the walls of the palace. Glinda sat on her bed, listening. Each chime felt like a physical blow. She had been so preoccupied with her new duties the past week that she'd almost forgotten about this day altogether. It was only when she went into her calendar to schedule a meeting that the date finally struck her. And now she found herself unable to sleep, sitting up to welcome a day that should have been celebratory but what would now forever be painful.

"Happy Birthday, Elphie," she whispered as the clock went quiet.

It had been over a month since the untimely demise of her best friend. She still thought about Elphaba often, but found that keeping busy was helping her cope with the pain. And she had certainly kept busy. It was moments like this, feeling alone as ever, that she allowed herself to feel the pain. She remembered the one birthday that she'd been able to spend with Elphaba back at Shiz. It had taken her a full two years to even wheedle that much detail out of her roommate and she found herself wondering now how she'd celebrated her birthday before Glinda or any of them had known about it. Sadly, she realized that Elphaba had probably done nothing at all. She was certain her family had never much celebrated with her before her college days either. Glinda wondered if the one time they had all celebrated had been the only real birthday Elphaba had ever known.

She smiled through the tears in her eyes, recalling that day. Elphaba had insisted that her roommate not make a fuss about her birthday and was adamant that there be absolutely no party of any kind. After much begging, Elphaba had finally agreed to a small dinner. Glinda had followed orders and kept the dinner small, inviting only Fiyero, Nessa, and Boq, though she had to admit she would have made it a larger affair had Elphaba had other friends to invite. She picked a restaurant in town that Fiyero had taken her to once, because she remembered they'd had a large assortment of cakes for dessert. After confirming Elphaba's favorite flavor with Nessa, she arranged for there to be a cake brought to them at the end of their meal.

That night, she'd forced Elphaba to borrow one of her dresses, though she had allowed her to choose a dark blue one rather than one of the many shades of pink she owned. She'd straightened Elphaba's hair and applied what little make-up she would allow. Elphaba had looked nothing short of a torture victim through the whole ordeal, but Glinda was sure she saw a faint smile when her roommate had glanced herself in the mirror afterward. Fiyero had come to pick them up. Ever the gentleman, he'd told them both how beautiful they looked and she remembered Elphaba's characteristic eye-roll. She'd never been one to take a compliment.

Dinner had been amazing and filled with animated conversation between the five friends. Glinda couldn't help but notice how happy Elphaba seemed. Sure, she blushed and got thoroughly embarrassed when anyone wished her a happy birthday or tried to turn the attention on her, but she laughed and smiled as they talked and hadn't made one sarcastic comment the entire night. Glinda could still remember the look on Elphaba's face when the cake had been wheeled out. The utter surprise on her friend's face had broken her heart a little even then.

"Glinda, this is too much. You really didn't have to do this," she'd said softly, shaking her head.

"Elphie, it's your birthday! Everyone has to have a cake on their birthday!" Glinda had said simply, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

Glinda could see through Elphaba's smile that this was to indeed be her first birthday cake.

She felt a breeze on her face from her bedroom window and she closed her eyes, imagining that it was the breath Elphaba had expelled to blow out the candles reaching her through time. Lying back in her bed, Glinda allowed one solitary tear to fall unheeded down her cheek as her hand reached underneath her pillow, her fingers curling around the green bottle she kept beneath it.

* * *

Elphaba awoke with a start, gasping for breath. The room was still dark and it took a moment for her eyes to adjust, but when they did, she noticed Fiyero was awake as well, looking at her with concern.

"Dream?" He asked simply. She nodded at him as she pushed herself into a sitting position, bringing her knees up to her chest and furiously rubbing at her eyelids as if she could erase the images that had been behind them. He sat up as well, moving closer to her. "Want to talk about it?"

"I don't know," she replied honestly, her voice barely above a whisper.

He reached out and gently grasped her chin, forcing her to look up at him. "Come on, Fae, talk to me."

She could hear the quiet desperation in his voice and it stirred something within her. Before she could stop herself, she felt the words flooding from her lips. "It's happened before. I can never remember exactly what the dream was when I wake up, but I can still feel the emotions as if they were my own. I know it sounds crazy, but I think they're real, that I'm sensing her when she's feeling something strongly, something having to do with me. It's like when I knew that Nessa," she paused, finding herself unexpectedly choked up at the memory of how close she'd come to changing her sister's fate, "was in danger."

He moved his hand from her chin to gently caress the side of her face. "You lost me," he said softly, apologetically. "Who are these dreams about?"

Her eyes met his. "Glinda." And with that whispered name, it was as if a dam burst inside of her. The tears flooded her eyes without warning and she was helpless to stop them from falling. Fiyero quickly gathered her to him, wrapping his arms securely around her small, trembling form. She buried her face in his chest, clutching at the fabric of his nightshirt as she felt a sob escape her throat. She was desperate to stop, unfamiliar and uncomfortable with such a rush of emotion, but the more she tried to hold it back, the harder it seemed to come pouring out of her.

Everything she'd been avoiding suddenly hit her full-force. Images of her sister, her best friend, her father, Boq in the tin state she'd left him in, Chistery and the rest of the winged Monkeys, the speechless Dr. Dillamond, and the entire life she'd left behind flooded her mind. The guilt she felt weighed down on her so heavily that she found herself struggling to get air into her lungs. It was her fault, all of it- her fault that her father had died, that Nessa had. Her fault that Glinda was all alone and in pain. Her fault that Boq and those Monkeys would be altered for the rest of their lives. Her fault that she had been unable to save Dr. Dillamond, to do more for him. It was her fault that she and Fiyero were stuck here, living in the shadows for what may well be the rest of their lives.

"Elphaba, stop!" Fiyero suddenly exclaimed, pulling away from her roughly and forcing her to look up at him. It was only then that she realized she'd been expressing all these thoughts aloud through her tears. She saw his face soften, both of his hands coming to rest on her face, ensuring that she held his gaze. "You take the world's problems onto your shoulders and it's not fair to anyone, especially you. You are a very strong person, but you cannot control the will of others, no matter how much you want to. You know as well as I do that Nessa always had a problem seeing things for what they were. You couldn't help what she did to Boq or how she died. You gave her so much, Fae, but you couldn't save her, no matter what you did. Who's to say that she even wanted to be saved after what she'd been through and what she'd done? And you- you were the one who saved those monkeys and Dr. Dillamond. You set them free, you did everything you could for them after the Wizard tortured and enslaved them. As for Glinda… we both did the best we could for her. She's going to miss you terribly, that'll probably never change, but she's tougher than she looks. You made sure that her life would have meaning and I know she'll grow to appreciate that if she doesn't already. She'll find her own happiness someday. We all will."

She saw a solitary tear slip from his eye and she reached out to trace its path with her fingers, brushing it away gently. Her breath still hitched from her crying and she shook her head at him disbelievingly. "How is it that you know exactly what to say at a time like this?"

"I hate to break it to you, Fae, but I've been waiting for this to happen pretty much since we stepped into that portal and left Oz." Her still-teary eyes questioned him. "You've been through more in the last several months than most people go through in a lifetime. Anyone else would have broken down long ago, but not you. You were too busy trying to save the next person- or Animal. But you've done all you could, Elphaba, and you left Oz in very capable hands. Now all that's left is learning to let go. And to do that, you have to feel it, all of it, everything you've blocked out for all this time... It's okay to lose it sometimes," he assured her, closing the distance between them and kissing her softly, keeping his face close to hers. "I'll always be here to pick up the pieces."

She shook her head, fresh tears springing to her eyes. "I don't deserve you."

"You deserve more than I can ever give you, but I plan on doing my best to make up for that." He smiled, relieved when she returned it with a watery one of her own. "Just promise me that you won't shut me out. I want to be here for you."

"I know I've been distant, I'm sorry. I'm just not used to this whole thing yet. I've always dealt with things on my own. I've never been good at asking for help or relying on others," she admitted.

"It doesn't make you weak, you know. It just makes you human."

She nodded slowly. "I know… Thank you, Fiyero."

"For what?"

"For being you." She smiled at him before seeking his lips with hers. He kissed her back readily and soon the kiss deepened and he found himself pulling her back to lie down on the bed, limbs tangled together. His hand found its way to her hair, burying itself in the silky tresses. Had they not been so exhausted and had Elphaba not been so emotionally drained, the kiss may have continued to heat up, but as it was, they were perfectly content to simply allow the kiss to express all the things they couldn't quite express verbally. It was as if they were sealing a promise. For her, a promise that she would let him in, let him care for her the way he wanted. For him, it was a promise that he would not abuse her trust, that he would prove worthy of it always. After several moments, they pulled back breathlessly and settled against each other to sleep, no words needed.

* * *

They both slept into the afternoon that day, Elphaba waking with slightly swollen eyes. After they'd dressed, Fiyero caught her in the bathroom, rubbing at her eyes and looking embarrassed and slightly frustrated. He laid his hand on her shoulder to stop her, moving so that he stood between her and the sink. He grabbed a cloth and ran it under cold water for a moment before turning back to her. He instructed her to close her eyes and she did so hesitantly. He lowered the cloth to one of her closed eyelids, applying slight pressure. He held it there for a moment before transferring it to the other eyelid, pressing a kiss to her forehead as he did so. After several minutes of repeating this routine, he removed the cloth and saw the swelling had indeed gone down. He kissed her softly and then led her downstairs to eat.

After their meal, he headed out for what he promised her would be a quick trip into the village to pick up a few things. While he was gone, she pulled out her notebook, but found herself unable to concentrate enough to write. She was twenty-five today- a birthday that, to others, may have been a big deal. To her, it was simply a relief to have made it this far into her life. Her mother had lived to be only a few years older. Months ago, when she was being hunted by the Wizard and his Gale Force, she'd accepted the fact that her life may also meet an early end. Her only hope had been to do enough to give the Animals a chance at fighting back before she went. She'd never dreamed that she'd live long enough to experience things like… well, like love.

She did love Fiyero, she knew that without a doubt. If it hadn't been absolutely clear before the previous night, it certainly was now. She'd almost found the words slipping from her lips in her vulnerable state, but she held back. She knew she couldn't do that to him, couldn't bind him to her any more than she already had. Once it was out in the open, the future would become very real. He had sworn his commitment to her several times, but she still wasn't sure he'd truly considered all that he would miss by being with her. Where could their relationship possibly lead? They couldn't go places together. They certainly couldn't marry, as that required someone to know their identities. They couldn't possibly start a family and bring their children into such danger. What would they do for the rest of their lives?

She tried to push away these dark thoughts, reminding herself of the promise she'd made to Fiyero the night before. She couldn't continue to keep him at such a distance. She knew they were better off together for the time being, anyway. They were both in very real danger should they be exposed and it was better to have two minds working to avoid that than one. She hated the very thought of it, but she knew that she was going to have to stop thinking ahead too much. She was going to have to learn in the present for the time being, because planning for the future would bring nothing more than a headache. She was, as Fiyero said, going to have to learn to let go.

**A/N:** Okay, so I know that chapter was a little depressing, but I really felt like Elphaba needed to finally have a complete breakdown and start dealing with what she'd been through. Also, this will be the last we see of Glinda for a little while, but she'll be back, don't worry. And I think next chapter should make up for the somberness of this one, so shoot me a review and I'll get it out soon! Thanks guys!


	6. They'll Kiss As If They Know

**A/N**: Wow, thanks for the awesome reviews guys, it seriously blew my mind! You guys totally made my week, I really appreciate it. But now you realized you've totally spoiled me haha, so please keep it up! I tried to post this days ago to reward you all for reviewing, but has other things in mind. Now that they've fixed their issues, I'm finally getting it up. I tried, I promise!

* * *

Chapter Six: They'll Kiss As If They Know

When Fiyero returned a couple of hours later, he found her sitting in bed and writing in her notebook. He sat down on the edge of the bed, forcing himself not to peek as she finished a sentence and closed the book.

"How was it out there?" She asked as she always did when he returned from one of his trips.

"The same. Although I did hear a couple of students who must have been out for the weekend having a discussion about something you might be interested in."

"And what would that be?"

"Well, it seems that there was some kind of official document signed today by many of the leaders of Oz… to begin restoring Animal rights."

Her eyes went wide. "Glinda?"

He nodded, smiling. "It also appears that she declared today a national holiday in honor of the signing."

Elphaba smiled back, certain that Glinda had purposely ensured that her new holiday be on this exact date. "It's nice to hear good news for once."

"Well, you deserve it. Especially today," he replied, his smile turning mischievous. It was only then that she noticed he was deliberately keeping his hands behind her back, blocking something from her view.

"What are you hiding?" She asked curiously, trying to move to glance around him, but he playfully shifted so that her view remained obstructed. His smile only grew as their game continued until she finally threw her hands up in mock-frustration. "Fiyero!"

He chuckled. "Okay, okay," he relented, bringing one of his hands out in front of him to reveal a white cardboard box resting on his palm.

"What is it?"

"Why don't you open the lid and find out?" He encouraged playfully. Casting him a suspicious look, she reached out and lifted the lid from the box. Inside, she saw a small, beautifully frosted cake. She looked up at him, surprised. "Happy Birthday, Fae… You thought I forgot didn't you?"

"I wasn't aware that you even had that information to remember," she replied honestly.

"Well, Glinda made you celebrate that one year back at Shiz and I happen to have a very good memory for details like that," he explained with a smile. She smiled back, unsure of what to say. "Well aren't you going to ask me what's in my other hand?" He asked after a moment, gesturing to the arm that he still held behind his back.

"There's more?" She asked incredulously. He brought his arm around, revealing a small package wrapped in brown paper and tied with a string. He held it out to her.

"Open it." Smiling, she took it from him and untied the strings before neatly pulling back the paper. Inside was a beautiful leather-bound journal with pages that were tipped in gold so that they shone together when the book was closed. She opened it and ran her fingers over the blank pages. "It's not much, but I figured you could use something nicer to write in than that old notebook."

She looked up at him, shaking her head in disbelief. "It's perfect… Is this why you insisted on going into the village today?"

"Well, I know things haven't been easy lately and after last night… I just really wanted to do something for you, for your birthday."

She looked into his eyes for a moment before pushing her gifts aside and hastily moving into his arms. He cradled her body against his as he had the night before. "I don't know what I did to deserve you," she whispered close to his ear.

He chuckled and pulled back slightly so he could look into her eyes. "I think I'm the lucky one." He took advantage of their proximity then and pressed his lips to hers gently. She responded fervently, quickly parting her lips and deepening the kiss, wanting nothing more than to be closer to him. After a moment, he felt his hands pushing her down into the mattress almost of their own accord. She didn't protest and he climbed over her as their kisses continued to heat up.

They parted after a moment, breathless, and he began trailing kisses around her ear and down her neck. He heard her sigh contentedly and he couldn't help but stop for a moment so that he could look at her. Her cheeks were flushed, her lips slightly swollen from their kisses, and her eyes were clouded with a mix of desire and emotion. She was quite possibly the most beautiful sight he'd ever seen.

"What?" She asked breathily under his unwavering gaze.

He'd held back from voicing his true thoughts several times since they'd started out on this journey, always needing to focus on some more pressing issue. But looking at her now, he couldn't think of one good reason to keep silent any longer. "I love you, Fae."

He'd said it so softly, so tenderly that she was unsurprised to once again find tears threatening to fall. She searched his eyes for a moment and she knew he was speaking the truth. She saw the love there as plainly as she saw that his eyes were brown. And, though he was trying desperately to mask it, she could see the fear in them too- fear that he'd gone too far, fear that she'd close off again, fear that she didn't feel the same way. She'd promised herself that she wouldn't burden him with her love, but she suddenly saw that denying him would do infinitely more harm. So she let the walls crumble down.

"I love you, too." She watched the smile that slowly lit up his face and she knew she'd done the right thing.

She let her words continue to sink in for a moment and then reached out to pull him back down to her. He obeyed gladly, his lips locking again with hers. They rolled so that they were both lying on their sides and she felt one of his legs tangle with her own. Suddenly, the urge to be closer to him was overwhelming and she found her hands coming up to undo the buttons on his shirt so she could feel the skin underneath. One of his hands moved to her hip and she felt his fingers lightly gripping her as if to urge her on. Needing no further encouragement, she parted the sides of his shirt and ran her hands over his chest, feeling his muscles. He broke from their kiss with a soft groan and brought his lips back down to her neck. She felt the hand that rested in her hair move down slightly to find the zipper on the back of her dress. As he began to tug it down, she gently laid a hand on his shoulder.

"Wait," she said softly. His hand dropped instantly and he backed away, certain he'd gone too far, that she was going to tell him to stop, but she didn't. She simply turned and reached up to shut off the lamp before shifting right back into her previous position and looking at him expectantly. He felt his mouth go dry.

"We don't have to do this, you know. Not if you're not ready," he said hastily, feeling the need to give her an out.

She nodded, the corners of her mouth creeping up into a small smile. "I know." With that, she took his hand and brought it back to her zipper, encouraging him to lower it. She kissed him softly as he did, using her hands to push his shirt off his shoulders and remove it completely. Once her zipper was down, he rested his hands on her waist and deepened the kiss until the need for air became too strong and they both pulled away, hearts racing. He watched in awe as she gripped the hem of her dress and pulled it off in one quick motion.

He allowed his eyes to linger over her emerald form in a way he hadn't felt he could when they'd slept in the shed that night. "Oz, you're beautiful," he whispered in awe. She looked down, smiling in a way that told him she thought he was only saying what he felt he should. He reached out and brushed his fingers across her cheek, urging her to meet his eyes. When she did, he shook his head sadly. "You have no idea how beautiful you are, Elphaba," he said seriously, using her full name to show her he wasn't simply trying to romance or flatter her.

She smiled again, a genuine smile this time, and kissed him. She laid back and pulled him over her once again. His hazy brain suddenly registered her hands at the waist of his pants, starting to undo the buckle. He forced himself to pull back once more and looked down into her flushed face.

"Are you sure, Fae?" He asked one last time, knowing that after this, there would be no turning back.

She brought one of her hands up to caress his face lovingly, trying to communicate silently that she understood what was about to happen. She looked deeply into his eyes for a moment and she could see the love and the need that she felt reflected back at her. She opened her mouth to give him the encouragement he needed.

"Love me."

And so he did.

* * *

Fiyero woke the next morning to some of the earliest rays of sunlight, feeling very content and rested. He opened his eyes to find that Elphaba was still sleeping, her head resting on his shoulder and one of her hands lay directly over his heart. He found himself fascinated by the contrast her delicate green fingers made against his dark skin. He brought his fingers up to play with hers, running lightly over her knuckles. He heard her groan sleepily and her head shifted slightly against his shoulder. Smiling, he lifted his head off the pillow slightly to brush his lips across her forehead.

"You awake?" He asked softly.

"No."

He chuckled. "You comprehend things very well in your sleep, then." He saw her smile, eyes still closed. He moved the hand that was wrapped around her waist up to toy with her hair. "Good morning." He leaned down again and kissed the tip of her nose gently. Her eyes fluttered open then, finding his easily. Smiling at her, he kissed her softly on the lips.

"Mmm, not a bad way to wake up," she mumbled, rubbing her nose playfully against his. He was relieved to see that she clearly had no regrets from the previous night. He'd half-expected her to wake up and panic, maybe even run.

"Did you sleep well?" He asked, keeping his dispelled worries to himself.

"Very. You're not a bad pillow. Not quite as comfortable as when you were made of straw, but much warmer," she replied jokingly.

"I'm glad I can make you comfortable," he replied with a soft smile, the double meaning of his words evident.

"Fiyero, last night was…" She trailed off, feeling slightly uncomfortable. "Well, it was a birthday I'll never forget," she finished sincerely.

"Good. Because I really do love you, I've been waiting to tell you that for a long time. And I know it wasn't easy for you to say it back, but I'm glad you did."

"No, it wasn't easy," she admitted. "But you know I'd never tell you that unless I really meant it, right?"

"I know," he assured her, unable to keep his lips from pressing gently to hers again. "I also know that you're probably scared, because Oz only knows what kind of future we can have, living like this." She shifted uncomfortably, hearing the same thoughts she'd had the day before being spoken aloud to her. He wrapped his arm around her waist again, holding her close. "But you know what, Fae? As long as we're together, none of that matters. As long as I have you, I know we can figure the rest out as we go."

She shook her head at him in exasperation. "You're such a romantic. I may faint if you go on like that." She batted her eyes at him mockingly.

"Ok, that's it!" He declared, shifting suddenly and pinning her arms above her head playfully. She let out a very un-Elphaba-like shriek and struggled to break free from his hold. They play-wrestled for several minutes, laughing and teasing. Before they knew it, she was lying fully on top of him and they both became very aware of the intimate contact of their bodies. Without hesitation, she began kissing him passionately and they both sank beneath the blankets once again.

* * *

The snow melted soon thereafter and the tentative buds on the trees indicated that spring was finally upon them. Elphaba longed for the warm weather so she could finally spend more time outside. She knew that there was a good deal of land on this property and she was determined to explore it, regardless of Fiyero's constant worry that she would be spotted and recognized. She had yet to see a single other person since they had arrived in Ev and she was finally starting to feel her fear slightly abating. She sometimes found herself wondering if this home would prove to be more long-term than either had ever predicted.

It was sometime in mid-spring that Fiyero realized they were running low on money. He'd had little time to prepare for this journey and he'd only been able to bring as much as he could gather in a few short days. He had no way of accessing the generous funds that his family had had set aside for him since his birth. He knew that he and Elphaba could make do with very little, but they still needed some money to meet their most basic needs. So he insisted on going out and finding a job on one of the local farms. This had caused quite an argument when he'd brought the idea up to Elphaba. The enchanted hat only served to prevent people from remembering his face from brief, one-time meetings. It would not work when he was working in the same place, for the same people day after day.

It took him days to convince her to let him risk it. He assured her that this was a country full of simple farmers who were probably not even aware there was a royal Vinkun family, much less know their names and appearances. He reminded her that he had seven other siblings and that he had never looked much like his father, who, as the king, would surely be the most familiar. He cut his hair short and dressed like a peasant, promising Elphaba that it should be enough to fool a few simple farmers and he would never dream of going anywhere more public without the hat. Finally, she had relented.

It took him several days of inquiring, but he finally found an old couple who owned a farm a couple of miles west of the cottage. They had tended to the farm themselves for decades, but the man was starting to slow with age and was looking for a little help with the everyday chores. They had accepted Fiyero's story- that he was a drifter looking to settle down for a while after a hard winter- without question and had hired him almost immediately. They seemed like very nice people who had lived long, simple lives. They even insisted on sending him home with a loaf of fresh bread, assuming he probably didn't have the means to buy food on his own just yet. He'd brought the bread home to Elphaba triumphantly and, after an hour of constant questioning on her part, she had finally accepted his new employment.

For the remainder of spring, life settled into a routine for the couple. Fiyero went to work as the sun was rising and Elphaba often woke with him so they could eat breakfast together. He spent the day on the farm and she spent most days tending to the house, taking short walks outside, or writing. He would always return by sunset and he would sit and tell her about his day as she made dinner. After dinner, they would crawl into bed to read, talk, or sometimes to simply get lost in each other. On his days off, he would usually go into the village to get whatever they may need. While he was gone, she would tend to the horse, who she'd named Dandelion, or Dandy for short. When he returned, they would relax or take a walk, depending on the weather. Elphaba could hardly believe how small and simple her life had become. She'd turned into an every day housewife without even realizing it.

Fiyero had taken to buying her books whenever he went into the village. He usually picked out a mix of intellectual texts and books of pure fantasy so that she could escape to other worlds without ever having to leave their cottage. He hoped it would help to keep her from feeling isolated. He often assured her, as they lay against each other at night, that life wouldn't always be like this. He promised her that, eventually, time and distance would allow them to lead somewhat normal lives. She usually remained quiet when he spoke like this and he had no idea whether she believed him at all, but sometimes he felt like he needed to hear it just as much as he imagined she did.

Things could have been worse, and they both knew that. Their life wasn't bliss, but it was at least comfortable. It was a long time before Elphaba started to accept the truth in the words Fiyero had spoken to her the morning after her birthday. As long as they were together, they could make do. She knew that she couldn't live like this forever, but for the time being, she had what she absolutely needed. She had Fiyero. When she watched him fall asleep at night, she told herself that she would allow her life to feel somewhat empty and meaningless for the time being, because it was the price she had to pay to remain safe, with him. She ignored the nagging feeling that he may someday simply have to love her enough to do something _he_ could hardly bear- to let her go.

**A/N: **Okay, so kind of another fluffy, yet somewhat depressing chapter. There's real plot to come soon, I swear! Next chapter, part of our duo gets themselves into some serious trouble. And only a few more chapters until a pretty large plot development, so keep the reviews up and I'll keep the chapters coming! Thanks guys!


	7. In All Our Bones

**A/N: **Sorry this one took me so long, guys! I went to Palm Springs this past weekend and I've been working like crazy since because I'm going away all next week also (more about that in the end note). But wow, Upright in Palm Springs was awesome! Eden and Shoshona were both amazing (Eden in particular, cause she's my favorite). And they were so nice too. What a great time! If you haven't seen these two live, I highly recommend changing that! Anyway, here is a new chapter for you finally. And read the end note, cause there's some important info.

* * *

Chapter Seven: In All Our Bones

Elphaba was tidying the kitchen one afternoon when she suddenly felt a cold chill settle into her body. She shivered, despite the fact that it was seventy degrees outside and the sun shone in through every window. She immediately stopped what she was doing and glanced outside, half-expecting to see a group of Gale Forcers marching up to the cottage, but there was nothing. She wandered the house cautiously, but nothing appeared to be out of place. Still, she couldn't seem to shake the feeling that something wasn't right. After what had happened to Nessa, she had learned to trust her instincts. But this time, it wasn't quite so clear. It was a broad feeling, not a specific notion. And she could hardly wander outside to find out if something was going on. So she resolved to wait for Fiyero to come home before doing anything drastic. Perhaps he would even bring news with him.

She tried to distract herself by reading, but she couldn't focus on any of her books. By late afternoon, she found herself sitting at the kitchen table and waiting silently. When the sun began to set and Fiyero still wasn't back, her fear intensified. By the time the sky was dark, she knew something was wrong. There was no way he was simply running late. She wracked her brain, trying to decide what to do. She needed to find that farm, that much was perfectly clear, but she had no idea how she was going to find it. All he'd ever said was that it was about four miles west and he had taken Dandelion there this morning so she had no means of getting there except by foot. Well, it wasn't the worst thing- she could certainly endure the walk, but how would she disguise herself?

For a moment, she found herself actually longing for Glinda and the arsenal of make-up she had kept in their college dorm. Although she was quite sure that Glinda's fair cover-up would have done nothing other than turned her a slightly more pastel shade of green. Then she suddenly remembered what Fiyero had said about dark skin tones being more common in Ev. Since she certainly couldn't go lighter, maybe she could just go darker. She quickly set about gathering everything in the kitchen that she could use. She experimented, adding ingredients until she had made a sort of brown paste. She took the bowl to the mirror and used a finger to smudge some of the paste onto her skin, testing it out.

It was smooth enough, though slightly streaky. If she covered her entire face, she could certainly fool people in the dark or at a distance. She didn't know what she would do if she needed to actually hold a conversation with someone, but she resolved to simply cross that bridge when she came to it. She continued to apply the paste to her skin as she mentally catalogued everything she would need- gloves, hat, cloak. She let her hair down so that her ears and the back of her neck were covered. When she was finished, the appearance was slightly strange, but she at least couldn't make out any green. She supposed it would have to be enough.

She packed a little money and the quickest food items she could grab before setting out into the night. She headed on a direct westbound route as she left the property. It felt strange to have lived in this cottage for several months now and to just now take in its surroundings. She had been practically unconscious when they had arrived there and the terrain was completely unfamiliar to her. She didn't come upon another house or farm of any kind until she had been walking at least two miles. Fiyero had described the farm to her before and she began to pay close attention to each dwelling she passed after she was certain she'd walked more than three miles. Once, she found a farmhouse that matched Fiyero's description and was nearly at the door before she saw a young family with several children through one of the windows. Fiyero had told her of the childless old couple he worked for so she turned away to continue her search.

She had been walking for more than two hours when she came upon a small house and saw a horse tied to a tree in the front. With a jolt, she realized it was Dandelion. She had finally found the right place. She raced to the horse, petting its nose and searching around her for some evidence of Fiyero.

"Are you Fae?"

Elphaba whirled around to find the source of the question. She saw a small woman with wispy gray hair standing a few steps out from the doorway. "How do you know my name?" She asked cautiously.

"Your husband told me you may come looking for him," she responded, moving closer to Elphaba, who, instinctually, took a few steps back.

"What happened to him? He never came home."

The old woman looked at her sympathetically. "I'm afraid there was an accident on the farm. He was injured using some of the equipment and my husband brought him to a medical center. We didn't even know he was married, he'd never mentioned it, but as they were leaving he was murmuring something about his wife, Fae, and how she was expecting him home. I thought maybe he was talking nonsense, but now here you are."

Had Elphaba not been covered in the brown face, she was sure the woman would have seen the color drain from her face. "He was injured? How badly?" She asked frantically.

"I'm afraid I don't know. It was his leg, cut badly and possibly broken. There was a good deal of blood, but my husband belted it off as quickly as he could. Evander, my husband, said that he was concerned the cut may have reached his artery," the woman explained as gently as she could.

Elphaba sank to the ground, feeling light-headed and short of breath. She knew exactly what it would mean if the cut had nicked the artery. He would most likely bleed out before even making it to get help. She couldn't lose him, not now, not after all they'd been through. Suddenly, she felt a hand on her shoulder and she resisted the urge to look up into the woman's face now that she was so close.

"It's okay, my dear. I'm sure he'll be okay. Why don't you come in the house with me and we'll wait for my husband to come back with some news," she suggested kindly.

"No," Elphaba said quickly, harsher than she'd intended. "I'm sorry, it's just… I'm really not feeling too well and I think I'd prefer to stay out here and get some fresh air. If you don't mind, I'll just wait out here with Dandy," she explained, gesturing to the horse.

"Of course not, dear, whatever you like. But you certainly shouldn't be alone at a time like this. I'll sit with you until Evander comes home." And with that, she lowered herself slowly to sit beside Elphaba on the ground.

"You don't have to do that, really. I don't want to keep you from your sleep," Elphaba insisted.

"Nonsense. I wouldn't be able to sleep anyway, worrying about poor Dorian. I was already waiting up for news when you arrived."

Elphaba almost asked who Dorian was before she realized it must have been the fake name Fiyero had provided them with. She'd never considered it before, but it seemed obvious now that he couldn't simply offer up his real name to these people. She found herself silently praising his sharpness through his injuries to not give them her full name either. And she supposed that referring to her as his wife had been the easiest thing, as not even she knew what to call them in reality.

"Now how come we haven't seen you before this? You would have been perfectly welcome to come and have dinner with us some time," the woman said suddenly, tearing Elphaba away from her thoughts.

"I have a skin condition," Elphaba improvised wildly, aware that the woman had probably noticed something strange about her face now that she was so close. "I have to be careful about going outdoors, especially during the day. It's why Dorian doesn't usually mention me, I like to keep to myself mostly."

"Well, I'm sorry, dear. Thank goodness you at least have that wonderful husband of yours. He's been a blessing to Evander and I, such a nice young man. I'm Emmeline, by the way. I don't think I mentioned that."

"It's nice to meet you," Elphaba said softly, though she truly wished she wasn't meeting this woman at all, considering the circumstances.

"You too, dear. Now, you listen to me. That husband of yours is a strong young man and I'm sure he loves you very much. I'm sure he'll pull through this just fine." She placed a reassuring hand over Elphaba's gloved one.

"I hope you're right." After a moment's silence, Emmeline started telling Elphaba about the farm, her husband, and some of the work Fiyero had done for them. Elphaba half-listened, grateful that she wasn't expected to form any sort of intelligent responses. Her panic was coursing through her relentlessly, making her stomach churn. Elphaba got the sense that the older woman knew this and was simply talking to try to distract her. She was surprised to find herself feeling grateful that she was not alone to endure this. She had been away from human contact, other than Fiyero, for so long that she'd almost forgotten what it felt like.

Elphaba was on her feet immediately when the sound of horse hooves reached their ears. She helped Emmeline to her feet as well and the two women waited in silence until they could see the horse and the figure on top of it toward them through the darkness. When they were close enough, Elphaba rushed up and looked desperately at the man she assumed to be Evander as he slowed the horse.

"This is Dorian's wife, Fae. She's been waiting here for news for an hour or so," Emmeline explained to her husband as he dismounted the horse.

"How is he?" Elphaba asked desperately, surprised at how small her voice sounded.

"The doctor reckons he'll be alright." Elphaba doubled over with relief, feeling like she was finally able to breathe again. She felt Emmeline's hand rubbing her back.

"You hear that? I told you he'd pull through," she said happily.

"What else did the doctor say?" Elphaba asked, straightening to look at Evander, desperate for more information.

"Well the lower leg was definitely broken and there were some pretty deep cuts, but they gave him some blood they're setting the leg as best they can so as to avoid any permanent damage. They'll probably have to keep an eye on him for a few days. I can take you over there tomorrow morning if you like," he offered kindly.

"No, that's okay, but thank you," Elphaba replied hastily, leaving Evander looking puzzled.

"She has a skin condition, it's not good for her to be out in the sunlight," Emmeline explained to him quickly.

"But if you don't mind, perhaps I could come back tomorrow night and you can update me on how he's doing," Elphaba suggested hopefully.

"Well, sure, it's the least I can do. Your husband has been a wonderful employee to us and we'll be sure to see him through this as best we can," Evander assured her. She thanked them both profusely before insisting that they all get some rest. She untied Dandelion and climbed onto the saddle, waving at the couple as she set off for the cottage.

* * *

True to her word, Elphaba returned the next night to get the latest news from Evander. He told her that Fiyero had been awake briefly while he was there that day and Evander had told him that they'd met his wife and they were to see her again that night. Fiyero had apparently seemed quite relieved and told Evander to tell Elphaba not to worry about him and to stay safe. The doctors had set his leg and had chosen to splint it rather than use a cast so that the wounds could still be watched over and treated. Evander assured her that they had him on medicine to ease the pain and he was mostly just resting. Relieved and grateful, Elphaba had even allowed the couple to usher her into the house for a quick bite to eat before she'd returned home.

She repeated this ritual for the next several days, receiving news of Fiyero's steady improvement, until she arrived at the farmhouse one day to find Fiyero himself laying on the couch and chatting with Evander and Emmeline. He looked up at her as she came through the door and his eyes immediately softened, though she could see the brief confusion when he saw her browned face. Quickly recovering from her shock, she rushed over to him and knelt beside the couch.

"Fae," he said softly as she reached out to touch his face.

"You're okay?" She asked disbelievingly.

He nodded, placing his hand on top of hers and turning his head so he could kiss the inside of her gloved palm. "They said I just needed to rest and stay off the leg for a while, so they sent me home."

"I offered to bring him home so you wouldn't have to make an extra trip out here, but he's a bit hazy from the medicine and he said he wasn't sure he was up to directing me there," Evander explained, standing above them. Elphaba understood instantly. There was a chance that Evander could have recognized their cottage as one belonging to the Vinkun royal family and it wasn't a risk they could afford to take.

"It's not a problem. I have Dandy outside, so I should be able to get him back on my own," Elphaba assured them.

"Well, I'm sure Fae wants to get her husband back home as soon as possible. Evander, why don't you get Dorian's crutches and help him outside and onto the horse. I'll gather up the supplies they sent him home with," Emmeline said, reaching down and guiding Elphaba back into a standing position. Smiling at Fiyero, she gave his hand a squeeze before she followed Emmeline into the kitchen. The woman explained the different medicines to Elphaba and showed her the fresh bandages the medical center had supplied. After Elphaba assured Emmeline she could handle everything, she gathered the supplies and followed Fiyero and Evander outside.

Evander had already managed to get Fiyero onto Dandy's saddle and he now sat with both of his legs off to one side, the splint preventing the injured one from bending. Evander was now securing the crutches to the horse's saddle with some rope and turned to the two women as they approached.

Elphaba reached out and hugged both of them briefly. "Thank you so much for everything."

"Not at all, dear. You take good care of him and let us know if there's anything you need, okay?" Emmeline said kindly.

"I will."

Evander looked up to Fiyero. "The doctors said it would probably take a couple of months for the leg to fully heal, so you just take it easy and we'll have your job waiting for you whenever you're up to coming back."

Fiyero smiled down at him. "Thank you. You've been very good to us, we're so grateful."

Evander helped Elphaba climb onto the horse in front of Fiyero, careful not to bump him. She settled onto the horse and grabbed the reins before bidding farewell to the couple, sad to realize she may not see them again for quite a while. She had grown quite fond of them over the last several days. She felt Fiyero's arms wrap around her waist as they began to move and she couldn't help but smile, so grateful to be with him again. They rode home slowly, for even a trot would have jostled Fiyero's leg painfully. It took over an hour, but they finally reached the small cottage. Fiyero's arms slackened around her waist as she guided the horse to stop out front. She turned to look at him over her shoulder and noticed that his jaw was clenched and he'd broken out in a light sweat.

"You okay?" She asked, concerned.

He nodded, trying to smile reassuringly at her, but not quite pulling it off. "Just a little pain."

"Well, let's get you inside and then you can take some of that medicine." She slipped gracefully to the ground and untied the crutches before leaning them against the horse and turning back to Fiyero. "How do I do this without hurting you?"

"Just help me balance so I can lower myself onto the good leg," he replied, placing his hands on her shoulders. She, in turn, reached up and wrapped hers around his waist as he slowly began easing his weight off the horse. She saw a brief look of pain flash across his features as his leg was jostled slightly, but she soon had him safely on the ground. He kept his hands on her shoulders for balance as she reached out for his crutches and positioned them under his arms. He took hold of them and began ambling his way to the front door. Once they were inside, she helped him lower himself onto one of the kitchen chairs. She quickly rummaged through her satchel and pulled out his pain pills, setting them down on the table and filling a glass with water. She handed him the glass and shook out two pills, as per the instructions.

"Here, take these and I'm going to make up the couch bed in the living room. You shouldn't be going up and down the stairs for a while," she instructed as she handed him the pills. He swallowed them gratefully and simply nodded at her, allowing her to take charge. She moved about the cottage for several minutes, pulling out the couch and gathering the necessary linens. When she returned to the kitchen, she could see that the medicine was already taking affect. Fiyero looked as if he was already half-asleep, but he managed a small smile when he noticed her standing in front of him.

She crouched down in front of him, bringing her hand to his face and pressing a kiss to his temple, cherishing the feeling of being close to him again. She felt his hand come up to rest on the back of her head, his fingers tangling in her hair. She pulled back slightly to gently kiss him on the lips.

"What was that for?" He asked softly.

She smiled at him. "For being alive."

He felt flooded with guilt, seeing how scared she had clearly been. "Oh, Fae-"

But she placed her finger on his lips, cutting him off. "We'll talk about it later. Right now you need to get some rest."

He sighed and nodded, relenting. She brought his arm around her shoulder so that she could help him up from the chair. The couch just around the corner in the other room, so she didn't bother with the crutches, just supported most of his weight on her own. Once he was settled on the bed, she perched on the edge, remaining close to him. He reached out to take her hand, twining his fingers with hers and bringing them to rest on his chest. She reached out with her other hand and ran it lovingly through his hair.

"You look ridiculous, by the way," he told her with a smile. She laughed, pleased to see that he hadn't lost his sense of humor through the whole ordeal. "What is that on your face?"

"It's the best thing I could come up with when I was panicking about you not coming home," she responded lightly.

"All I think about in the medical center is getting home to see your face again and then suddenly, there you are, looking like you fell in a mud pit," he joked.

She shook her head at him, amused. "I'm starting to think I should have just left you there."

"Nice try." His smile faded slightly. "Just promise me that the face I wake up to will be that green one I find so entrancing."

"Well, I don't know. I mean, I should probably sleep upstairs so I don't accidentally bump your leg in my sleep or anything." She'd meant it as a joke, but Fiyero suddenly gripped her hand tightly, surprising her.

"No, please. Stay down here," he pleaded.

She moved the hand that had been toying with his hair to cup his cheek. "Shh, I was kidding. Of course I'll stay down here. I'm not leaving you, okay?" She reassured him gently, as she would a frightened child. He nodded, appeased, and allowed his eyes to slip shut. She sat with him and stroked his face gently until she was certain he had drifted off. Then, she allowed herself to get up briefly to bring Dandy back into the stable and to get ready for bed, making sure to rinse every last piece of brown off of her face.

She switched the light off as she neared the bed and lowered herself onto it gently, not wanting to disturb Fiyero's sleep. She crawled under the covers and moved closer to him, curling herself against his uninjured side. She rested her head on his chest so that she could hear his steady heartbeat, allowing it to reassure her of his presence. She heard him mumble something unintelligible in his sleep and she felt his arm wrap around her subconsciously. She felt her throat clog with tears suddenly, realizing how close she'd come to losing him. She swore to herself then that she would make a more conscious effort to truly enjoy their time together, for one could never tell how long it would last.

**A/N: **Yay, Fiyero didn't die haha. I mean, did you really expect that he would? I'm not saying I'd never kill off a character, but this story has sooo much further to go, believe me. Okay, so as I said, I'm going away from this Saturday through the next Saturday and I will not have internet access at all, so whether I post the next chapter before I leave or not is entirely up to you guys. I don't like posting chapters too quickly so people don't get overwhelmed trying to catch up, but I also don't like to leave too much time between. So if you guys review and let me know you've gotten the chance to read this before I leave, I'll get the next one up. Sorry if that sounds like a shameless ploy haha, but I swear it's not (mostly lol). Anyway, coming up next chapter: Fiyero's road to recovery and a major turning point in the relationship of our duo.


	8. Our Bodies in the Grass

**A/N:** Okay it's 2:30 AM and I have to get up earlyish tomorrow (or today I guess) to leave, but I felt guilty not giving you guys another chapter before I left, so here you go! You guys all have allisonosity, discordchick, Happy loving Heroes, WickedlyGreen, musicfan1207, and ndgirl319 to thank because their reviews of the last chapter made me get this one out so soon. Just do me a favor and if you didn't get a chance to read the last chapter before this one, leave me a little feedback on both so I know how you felt about both chapters. I would greatly appreciate it! So I hope you enjoy and I'll try to get another one up as soon as I get back next weekend. Thanks guys, I hope you all have a great week!

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Chapter Eight: Our Bodies in the Grass

Elphaba spent the entire next day lounging in bed with Fiyero, getting up only to cook and use the bathroom. She had redressed his wounds and gave him pain pills whenever he was due, which caused him to drift in and out for most of the day. When he was dozing, she would read and wait patiently for him to wake again. Occasionally, she would get caught up in watching him sleep, fascinated by how beautiful and peaceful he looked. He awoke from one of his naps and caught her staring as she lay on her side about a foot away from him.

"Are you watching me sleep?" He asked in an amused tone.

"Perhaps," she replied with an evasive smile.

"Why, miss Elphaba, I do believe you are becoming quite the romantic," he teased.

Her smile grew. "Nowhere near you, my love." He laughed and reached out to pull her closer. She came willingly, snuggling against him. "I missed you," she said suddenly, her voice barely above a whisper.

He pressed a kiss to her forehead. "I missed you, too."

"I've gotten way too used to having you around. I've never needed another person like I need you," she admitted, surprising him with her honesty.

"Neither have I."

She shifted so she could look into his face. "Were you scared?"

"I was scared for you."

"Me?" She asked, wide-eyed. "Why in Oz's name would you worry about me when you're the one who was seriously injured?" She looked at him as if he were the densest human on the planet.

"It all happened so fast that I didn't even really have time to process the extent of my injuries. But when they were loading me onto the horse, I realized that you would worry when I didn't come home. I was terrified that you would do something drastic and expose yourself," he explained.

"Well, lucky for you, I'm smarter than you think," she said, sounding slightly defensive.

"It's not about your brains, Elphaba. I just knew how I would feel if you suddenly disappeared. I would panic and protecting myself would become completely secondary."

"Ah, but you forget that by protecting my identity, I'm protecting you as well. It's one thing if you're discovered, you hopefully wouldn't be harmed. But if they found that you were hiding out with the Wicked Witch, they may well execute you or at the very least, torture you again."

"I suppose that's true. Well, whatever made you think to disguise yourself, I'm grateful. Things could have ended up a lot worse."

"We owe a lot of that to Evander and Emmeline. They seem like very nice people," she commented.

"They are. I'm glad you got the chance to meet them, despite the circumstances. But don't go getting any ideas about repeating your trips outside this property. It's still not safe out there," he warned her.

"But what will we do for money? You won't be able to work for at least another couple of months and don't even think about trying to go back any sooner."

"We'll be okay," he assured her. "We've hardly been spending all my wages each week. We should have enough to last us mostly through the summer. I should be healed enough in a couple days to reduce the splint to the lower leg where the break actually is. That way I can at least ride into the village to get more food and such."

"Are you sure I can't go for you?" She asked, knowing her attempt would be fruitless.

"No way," he said predictably. "You bring almost as much attention to yourself with that supposed skin condition as your real skin would. Don't get me wrong, I admire your quick thinking under those circumstances, but it's not enough of a disguise to fool a village full of people, not even with the magic hat."

"Well, you better at least stop wasting money buying me books and such. From now on, only the strict necessities."

"But whatever will you do for entertainment?" He asked jokingly.

She smiled at him. "Well, you'll be around every day for a while. I guess you'll just have to tell me stories."

"I suppose I can manage that."

* * *

It was a full week before Fiyero recovered enough to reduce the splint and truly start functioning again. He still couldn't do much, but Elphaba was always there to help him. She cared for him wonderfully and he was in awe of her strength. She made sure he didn't push himself too far and always forced him to rest when she saw him starting to tire. She insisted that there would be time to build up his strength later and that for now he needed to simply heal. He was amazed and grateful that she didn't seem to get overwhelmed or irritated at having to be so close to him all the time and constantly having to do things for him. In fact, she seemed more than willing to take on the responsibility and he found himself falling more in love with her every day.

When he decided he was ready to make a trip into the village, Elphaba seemed more than just slightly worried. She lectured him on being safe and not overdoing it for nearly an hour before she reluctantly let him go. The trip had been more difficult than he anticipated and, by the time he returned, his leg was throbbing in pain and she had to half-carry him inside the house. He had used up his pain medication, so she simply settled him into bed and rubbed a cold cloth over his face until the pain started to subside. Looking almost as pained as he felt, she'd begged him to let her go next time, but he refused. He swore to her that he would wait at least a week before going out again and by then his leg would surely be much better.

Summer rolled in, hot and humid as ever. Elphaba longed to go outside and enjoy the weather, but Fiyero was not able to walk much just yet, so she often remained inside with him. They allowed themselves to grow lethargic in the heat and spend large amounts of time lounging around. True to his word, Fiyero had begun to tell Elphaba stories almost daily. He had expected her to ask him to spin tales of fantasy and danger, but it turned out she mostly wanted to hear stories from his childhood and his past. He obliged on the condition that she would return the gesture. They learned about each other, as they never had been able to in the beginning of their relationship.

He had to force himself not to feel pity for her as she told him stories of her childhood and how her family and the people in Munchkinland had treated her. He'd known that she hadn't had an easy life, but sometimes the stories simply broke his heart. Occasionally, she would share with him the few memories that she had of her mother. He liked these stories the best, because she was always happy in them. She always got this far-away look in her eyes that drained all the hardness from her features and made her look so young and open. He started to scold himself for not paying more attention to her when they were at Shiz, for not making her open up like this so much sooner.

By mid-summer, Fiyero had persuaded Elphaba to remove the splint and now walked around with the aid of only one crutch to help support his injured leg. She had begun to do daily exercises with him to help restore strength to the limb. They were painful and he often found himself utterly exhausted afterward, but he was certainly getting stronger again. Eventually, he resolved to give himself one more week before returning to work. He was only using the crutch for longer walks now and was able to manage with only a slight limp without it. There were only a few weeks left of summer and they didn't know how quickly the cold weather would come in the fall. Feeling guilty for keeping Elphaba inside most of the summer, he planned a whole day outside for them right before he was to return to the farm.

He packed enough food for both lunch and dinner and they set off for one of the furthest hills. Elphaba had been concerned about him doing too much walking, but he assured her he could manage. He watched Elphaba as they walked. A few times she closed her eyes and turned her face right up to the sun, soaking in its warmth. She looked truly happy and his heart ballooned at the sight. Eventually, they came upon a hilltop with a large tree and Fiyero rolled a blanket out beneath it. They ate, talked, and sunbathed all afternoon. As the sun was setting, Elphaba settled her head onto Fiyero's lap as he read to her. It was a book she'd read already, but it was one of her favorites and something about hearing the story through Fiyero's voice gave it a whole new appeal. They ate dinner in the evening and then pulled the blanket out from underneath the tree so they could lie next to each other and look up at the stars.

"Do you know any of the constellations?" Fiyero asked her.

She nodded. "I could probably have found them with my eyes closed back at Shiz. The sky looks completely different from here, though."

"Did you study astronomy at Shiz?"

"No, I just read a few books on the subject. Before Glinda and I became friends, I spent a lot of time out on the roof of Crage, so I guess I just studied the constellations on my own."

He gazed at her a moment. "Were you lonely back then?"

She sighed, thinking. "Honestly? Maybe a little. But I was used to being alone back then, I often preferred it. I didn't know what friendship even felt like until that night at the Ozdust."

"The day we met," he observed.

"I guess it was, wasn't it? What a crazy person you must have thought I was, dancing by myself," she said with a small laugh.

"I thought you were brave, actually. Any other girl would have run out of the room in tears, but not you. I was intrigued."

"Really? I thought you hardly even noticed me until the whole lion cub incident."

"You're pretty hard not to notice, Elphaba," he teased good-naturedly. She laughed again and she felt his hand cover hers. She turned her hand over and laced her fingers through his.

"Can I ask you something?" She questioned after a brief silence.

"Of course."

"When was it that you realized, well, that you wanted to… to be with me? I mean, we'd hardly spent any time together before I left for the Emerald City and the next time I saw you, you just up and left Glinda to run off with me. How did that come about exactly?"

He shifted onto his side and propped himself up on his elbow so that he could look down at her. "I knew that you were the one from the day we rescued that cub. I was going to break up with Glinda then, but you got that invitation to the Emerald City and then you invited Glinda to come along, so I figured I'd just deal with it when you both got back. But you never came back."

"And that's why you joined the Wizard's guards? To look for me?" She asked, the pieces suddenly falling into place.

"Yes. I knew I would have the most resources that way. And if I was in charge of the people who were hunting you, I thought I could prevent you from being harmed. I searched so hard for you, Fae. And then when you were there, right in front of me, I knew I couldn't let you go."

"You had no idea what you were getting yourself into, did you?" She pondered.

"It didn't matter. It _doesn't_ matter. I just wanted to be with you… and I got what I wanted," he replied with a smile.

"Are you happy, Fiyero? And don't lie."

"I am happy. I know things aren't perfect, but I am happy with you. I had no idea how wonderful it felt to truly love someone and then to get to spend every day discovering new things about that person and finding even more ways to fall in love with them." He paused. "Too romantic for you?"

She shook her head with a small smile. "Not in this instance, because I feel those things too."

"So you're happy then?" He asked, needing the reassurance.

"When I'm not scared, I am, yes," she confessed.

"When are you scared?"

"When I think about the future. The future for us as people and for us as a couple. I just sometimes feel like we were doomed before we even began, you know?"

"I like to think that these times will be the hardest and that we'll gradually work our way back to a normal life."

She looked dubious. "You really think we can have a normal life someday?"

"I've told you so before. Eventually, we'll be able to come out of hiding enough to have more resources. We'll do the necessary research. We'll find the safest place to go and you'll study sorcery again and come up with all sorts of spells that will protect us enough to do normal things again. I happen to be dead-set on the idea of taking you out on a real live date someday."

"We've already slept together, Fiyero. You hardly need to woo me with a date," she told him in her typical sarcastic tone.

"It's not to get you in bed, Elphaba," he said with slight exasperation. "It's because I want to give you all the things you've never had. I want to treat you like a queen."

She rolled her eyes. "Why?"

"Because I love you," he answered simply.

Her features softened instantly. "I love you too." She paused. "But who knows how you'll feel when that day actually comes. You may be sick to death of me by then." She'd said it lightly, but he could hear the real fear behind her words. He took her arm and pulled her up into a sitting position with him. He brought his face close to hers so that she could look at nothing but him.

"How can you honestly say that? How can you not see how much I love you? There is nothing else in this world that I want more than to be with you for the rest of my life. I'd never thought I could feel so certain about something, but I know now that I do. My life would be empty without you in it. You're everything to me. I'm in this for the long haul, Fae. Now I understand if you don't feel the same way, but please don't doubt my feelings for you."

Her eyes sparkled in the moonlight and he thought he saw a hint of tears. "I do feel that way, Fiyero. I'm just scared to death that one day you'll find that you're with me out of some sense of obligation and not love."

"That'll never happen. I promise you," he assured her firmly.

"But you can't know that, Fiyero!" She was growing frustrated now. "How can you possibly know that you'll still love me ten years from now, if we're even still alive then?" Her tears started to fall slowly and she turned away from him, wiping them off of her face. He reached out for her, laying his hands over her arms and rubbing them gently. She didn't turn around, but he could see her shoulders sag slightly and he took it as a sign of permission. He guided her body back against his so that she sat between his legs and leaned back against his chest. His arms wrapped around her slender waist and his lips caressed her temple. After a moment, he brought his lips to her ear.

"Marry me," he whispered.

She stiffened, certain she'd misheard him. "What?"

"Marry me," he repeated. "I would like nothing more than to marry you, Fae."

"Fiyero, you don't have to do this. I'm just a little emotional, it's not a big deal," she said dismissively.

"I'm not doing this because I saw you cry, Elphaba. I'm asking you because I love you and I want to commit to loving you for the rest of my life. Just like most _normal_ couples do."

"Even if I said yes, it would be totally illogical. How would we ever get married?" He could hear in her voice that she still wasn't taking him seriously.

"You say yes and I promise you that, someday, I will make sure it happens," he replied sincerely.

She turned in his arms then, needing to look into his eyes. He was relieved when she kept her body close to his rather than pulling away. "You're serious?"

"Completely. I've never been more sure of anything in my life." He brought his hand to her face, needing to touch her. "But I don't want you to say yes if you're not ready. I won't be offended, I promise."

She chewed her lip nervously. "It could be the longest engagement in history," she warned him.

"I don't care. As long as I have you with me," he replied easily.

She searched his eyes for a moment as if she was waiting for the other shoe to drop. He gazed unwaveringly back at her. Suddenly, her lips crept up into a smile. "Yes."

"Yes?" He asked disbelievingly.

She nodded. "Yes. Whenever that day comes, I will marry you."

He laughed giddily and she joined in for a moment before he eagerly pulled her to him, his lips meeting hers. He kissed her passionately and it was not long before he was pulling her back down to the blanket with him. His hands roamed her back as they kissed, finally finding the zipper to her dress and starting to tug it down. She followed his lead and began unbuttoning his shirt. When they parted for air briefly, she suddenly seemed to grow worried.

"What about your leg?" She asked him.

"Doesn't even hurt. Besides you're the one who says we need to strengthen it up again," he replied seductively before he grew suddenly serious. "I need to be with you."

She nodded, understanding his need, sharing it. "Well, this isn't exactly what I had in mind for exercise, but I suppose I can be persuaded." She quirked an eyebrow and he thought it was so adorable that he couldn't resist pressing a kiss to it.

"Oh can you now?" He teased, trailing kisses down her neck and to her collarbone before moving back up to nibble on her earlobe. He heard her groan softly and he smiled in satisfaction. They divested each other of their clothes quickly and allowed their hands and mouths to explore briefly before they were unable to resist each other any longer.

As they joined, he hovered over her and she smiled up at him. "My fiancée," she said with wonder.

He smiled back. "That might be the sexiest thing I've ever heard you say."

She laughed, but it turned into a moan as he began to move. They made love slowly, tenderly, gazing deeply into each other's eyes the entire time. They were perhaps more connected than they had ever been before. It was the first time that they both allowed themselves to truly believe that love really could withstand whatever the future held.

**A/N**: Wow that might have been the fluffiest chapter I've ever written haha. I hope you enjoyed. The story's about to take a major turn coming up next chapter, so do me a favor and fill my inbox with some reviews so I have something to smile at when I get back to the real world after my vacation. I'll get the next one up as soon as I'm back!


	9. Autumn Blew the Quilt Right Off

**VERY IMPORTANT AUTHOR'S NOTE**: Okay, so I know I promised you a chapter a couple of days ago, but I swear I have a really good excuse, though it won't make you happy to hear it. While I was away, my hard-drive suffered a fatality and I brought it in the second I got back, but they told me it's completely dead. As of now, it's at a data recovery place in hopes of rescuing this one single file off of it, because otherwise I'll have lost over 50 pages of work, which is obviously disastrous. I'm supposed to find out later this week if they were able to recover the file or not, so I'll keep you updated. But for now, I can't make any promises about how quickly I'll be getting chapters up. I had to rewrite this one from scratch and I'm already not happy with it, because I know there are things missing, but I didn't want to leave you wondering what the twist was forever. So if the file can't be recovered, I will do my best to rewrite what I lost and get it up, but if you're an author, you understand how hard that is. I've grown very attached to this story and where it's started to go, though, so I'll do my best. I hope you guys will stick with me. For now, I hope you enjoy this chapter.

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Chapter Nine: Autumn Blew the Quilt Right Off

When Fiyero returned to work several days later, he was pleased to find that he could still perform most of the tasks he had been responsible for before his injury, save for a few of the more strenuous chores. Evander and Emmeline were thrilled to have him back and flooded him with questions about how he and Elphaba had spent their summer. He had smiled inwardly at the questions, remembering as often as he could the wonderful day they'd spent on the hill, which had resulted in their engagement. Though he'd technically been engaged briefly to Glinda, he was in awe at how wonderful it felt to have just committed to someone so deeply. His relationships in the past had always been relatively shallow, meaningless, but everything was different with Elphaba and he knew she felt the same way.

Elphaba was still adjusting to spending her days alone again. The first day he'd gone to work, he'd made sure to return before sunset and he'd found her sitting stiffly at the kitchen table with a book she clearly hadn't been reading. He'd smiled at her and taken her into his arms, no explanation needed. She seemed to relax a bit when he'd returned home by sunset four days in a row. He told her not to worry so much, but he was secretly glad for her concern, because he knew he'd be the same way had she been injured. He'd taken to bringing up their engagement at least several times a week both to remind himself that it was real and to assure himself that she was as serious about it as he was. One such night, they were lying in bed and he was watching her read.

"What do you think our wedding will be like?" He asked suddenly, unable to help himself.

She didn't spare him a glance. "I can hardly tell you that more than I can tell you where we'll be living in a few years' time."

"No, I mean, in an ideal world. What would your ideal wedding be like?"

She sighed, finally setting down the book. "Very small. I never had any fantasies about hundreds of people gawking at me in some frilly white dress."

He smiled. "Why does that not surprise me?"

"I suppose even in an ideal world I wouldn't be allowed to wear black, would I?"

"No way," he replied, shaking his head. "And none of those stupid dresses that cover up every inch of your skin either. I want to see the woman I'm marrying."

"Well, I guess we're lucky in a way that we're supposedly dead. Otherwise, Glinda would surely have me dressed in some lacy pink monstrosity." She'd said it lightly and she smiled at the thought, but he could see the sadness in her eyes.

"She would have been your made of honor, huh?" He asked gently.

"I suppose so. She probably would have been even more excited about my wedding than I'd be."

"You really miss her," he observed.

"She was the only real friend I ever had. I mean, don't get me wrong, I know we did the right thing for her and I'm certainly glad it's you I ended up here with, it's just… She changed a lot about my life, you know? I think I'll always miss her." She fell silent and he reached out and wrapped an arm around her, pulling her closer.

"It is a little sad to think about the reaction we're missing out on by not getting to announce our engagement to her. Imagine the screaming," he joked, cringing lightly at the thought.

She smiled, appreciating his attempt to lighten the mood. "I just hope she's doing okay. I left a lot on her plate when we fled Oz. I hope we can eventually figure out a way to check up on her, maybe through magic."

"We'll figure something out," he assured her, sharing her desire to stay updated on Glinda's life. "Have you had any more of those dreams?"

"Nope," she replied, shaking her head. "All's quiet on the prophetic dream front."

"Maybe that means things will settle down for a while," he ventured hopefully.

She shot him a look. "Unlikely."

* * *

Summer faded quickly to autumn and the days began to grow progressively cooler. Elphaba took a walk outside any day that was warm enough, but found herself holed up inside more and more. She had taken to writing in her journal more often again. Fiyero was working hard at the farm, helping Evander and Emmeline prepare their crops for the cold weather. He was not looking forward to the winter, but was at least relieved that they would have shelter from the cold this year and would not be sleeping in caves and barns.

As the leaves fell from the trees and the days grew crisper, Fiyero began to notice that Elphaba was acting a little strangely. She started to seem slightly distant and, though she normally was awake at the crack of dawn with him, she began sleeping through his departure each morning. He tried not to worry too much, attributing her behavior to mild melancholy about being completely trapped indoors again. Determined to cheer her up, he asked Evander and Emmeline for a day off, but didn't tell Elphaba. Instead, he took Dandelion and set off for the day, heading toward the town surrounding the nearest University. It took several hours to get there, but he quickly found what he was looking for once he arrived. He strode into the largest bookshop he could find and immediately headed for their geography and travel section. He browsed for over an hour and eventually purchased as many books and maps as he could carry.

When he arrived home, it was earlier than he normally would have returned from work and he carried the books into the kitchen quietly so he could surprise Elphaba. Once they were stacked neatly on the table, he ventured upstairs to find her. He walked into the bedroom to find it empty and nearly left to continue his search when he noticed the bathroom door was closed. He perched on the edge of the bed to wait.

After a few moments, he suddenly heard retching noises coming through the closed door and he was on his feet and across the room instantly. He called her name softly before he eased the door open. He saw her instantly, kneeling on the floor and crouched over the toilet. Without looking at him, she quickly reached up and flushed it as if she could hide the fact that she had clearly been sick a moment before. She sat up, leaning her back against the wall as her eyes finally found his. She looked pale and he noticed that she'd broken out into a light sweat. He stepped into the small bathroom, kneeling on the floor in front of her.

"You okay?" He asked, his voice full of concern.

"Fine. Just feeling a little under the weather," she replied quickly. "What are you doing home so early?"

She didn't look happy to see him and he tried to brush it off, telling himself that no one really enjoyed having an audience while they vomited into the toilet. "I was going to surprise you. I brought home some stuff for you, it's downstairs."

"Can you show me later? I think I'd just like to lie down for a little while."

"Of course," he replied with a reassuring smile. He stood and reached a hand to help her to her feet as well. She swayed slightly once she was standing and he instantly wrapped his arm around her waist to steady her. "You sure you're okay?"

"I'm sure. I think I just caught a stomach bug," she responded, regaining her balance quickly and walking back into the bedroom. He followed.

"You have seemed more tired lately. I hope it's nothing serious." He watched her climb into the bed and he moved to stand beside it, pulling the covers up and gently tucking them around her as if she were a small child.

She gave him a small smile, but it didn't seem to reach her eyes. "I'm sure it's not. I just need to close my eyes for a little while. Wake me in an hour and I'll get started on dinner."

"You want me to sit with you for bit?" He asked, remembering the comfort he'd drawn from her presence right after his injury.

"No, that's okay. Just give me an hour," she replied softly before turning onto her side, facing away from him. He recognized the dismissal and regretfully made his way to the door.

He disregarded her request and allowed her to sleep for nearly three hours, during which time he found a home for the books and cooked dinner himself. He sat downstairs and ate before loading some soup and bread onto a tray to bring upstairs, the way he had the last time she'd been ill. He made his way to the bedroom, which was now almost completely dark. He set the tray at the foot of the bed and sat on the edge near where Elphaba lay. He reached out to turn on the light and found that she was facing him, still wrapped peacefully in her dreams. He reached out and gently laid his hand over her forehead, gauging her temperature. She had no fever, but he did notice there were dark circles under her eyes even as she slept. He removed his hand from her forehead and ran his fingers lightly up and down her arm, calling her name softly. She stirred at the sound and her eyes slowly fluttered open, finding him easily.

He smiled down at her. "Hey. I thought you might want to try eating something, so I brought some dinner up."

Her brow furrowed in confusion. "I thought I told you to wake me so _I _could make dinner."

"You did. I didn't listen," he told her matter-of-factly.

She pushed herself up into a sitting position and spotted the tray. "Why do you have to be so damn considerate?" She asked, caught somewhere between amusement and irritation.

"Because that's what a good man does for his beloved fiancé when she's sick," he joked, hoping to gain a smile from her. Instead, she looked down at her lap and he saw her wince slightly. "Are you still not feeling well? I can bring the food back up later if you want to get some more rest."

"No, it's not that," she replied softly, not meeting his eyes.

"Then what is it?" He asked, grasping her chin gently in his hand and bringing her gaze up to his. He noticed suddenly that her eyes shone with tears and alarm bells started to sound in his head. The questions poured out of him immediately. "Oh Oz, is it something serious? How long have you had symptoms? Do we need to find you medication? Why didn't you tell me sooner you were sick?"

"I'm not sick, Fiyero!" She burst out suddenly, wrenching her face from his grasp and looking away from him again. He saw several tears spill over onto her cheeks. When she spoke next, her voice was barely above a whisper. "I'm pregnant."

Fiyero froze, his jaw slightly agape. He tried to comprehend what she was saying. Distantly, he realized it all fit- the fatigue, the mood swings, the nausea- but he still hadn't seen it coming in the slightest. "Are you sure?" He asked after a moment of utter silence.

She nodded miserably, allowing herself to briefly meet his eyes. "I'm sure."

"But- but how? I thought you were keeping track, being careful. I saw your calendar," he stuttered out, hating himself when he realized how accusatory he sounded.

"I was… It was that night on the hill. The night you asked me…" She broke off as a small sob escaped her throat. "I knew it wasn't an ideal time, but I just wanted that night to be perfect. I was stupid and careless." She buried her face in her hands suddenly as if she could hide from reality.

He reached out and ran his fingers gently through her hair. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean for that to sound like it did. It's not your fault, Fae. I was the one who told you I needed you, I didn't even spare it a thought."

"What are we going to do?" She asked tearfully, her voice slightly muffled through her hands.

"We're going to have a baby," he replied simply.

She lifted her head then and looked at him. "But how? We can hardly even take care of ourselves right now! How are we going to bring a baby into this life? How would we possibly keep it safe? What happens when it gets sick and needs a doctor? Or when the time comes for it to start attending school? What if our lives never settle down?"

"Hey," he said gently, cutting her off before she continued to work herself into a frenzy. "I think those are things every new parent worries about, even ones who lead normal lives. We'll do what the rest of the world does: we'll work it out as we go."

"How can you be so calm about this?" She questioned, slightly frustrated.

"I'm not exactly calm, I just see both sides of it. Sure I'm terrified, but I'm also happy, excited. How could I not want to have a family with you?" He reached out brushed his fingers lightly over her cheek, which was still wet with tears.

Her breath hitched slightly. "I don't know if I can do this, Fiyero," she whispered, the fear in her voice making his heart break a little.

"Sure you can, Fae. We'll do it together," he assured her gently. She looked up at him, her tears slowing a little. "We'll do our research and once the baby's born, we'll find somewhere to settle down. I went to the village near the University today and bought some books to get us started. That's why I came home early."

She sniffled pitifully. "You brought home books?" He saw the faintest glint of excitement in her eyes and it made him smile.

"That's my girl." He fell silent for a moment, leaning forward to brush a kiss across her forehead. "So if you conceived that night on the hill, that means you're just over two months along, right?" She nodded her confirmation. "So that means the baby will be born in the late spring. We could be traveling by mid-summer probably, which would afford us the warm weather."

"It won't be easy with an infant," she cautioned.

"When have our lives ever been easy?" He was relieved when this at least gained him a small smile.

"I guess you're right." She paused. "I never saw myself becoming a mother."

"Never?" He questioned.

"I was never very partial to children. I used to think I'd spend the rest of my life alone. I'd come to accept it in a way."

"But you cared for Nessa all those years," he reminded her.

"And I resented her for it. I loved her, I did, but I hated her too," she admitted, looking away from him as if ashamed.

"This will be different. This will be _our_ child and we can love it and raise it however we see fit… Besides, I already know that you've formed an attachment," he remarked.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, you haven't tried to terminate it, have you? I know there are ways you could have done it," he replied darkly.

Her eyes shimmered with tears again. "I thought about it, but I just- I couldn't do it."

"Well I'm glad for that… It's kind of amazing really. To know that what we have together created a whole new life." He smiled in awe.

"Well, that's a very romantic way of looking at it, but I suppose you're right, in a way." She paused. "Thank you for taking this so well," she said softly.

"Did you think I wouldn't?"

"_I_ certainly didn't," she reminded him.

"How long have you known?"

"Well, I've suspected for a few weeks now, but I wasn't certain until about a week ago," she replied.

"Why didn't you just tell me?"

"I was scared about how you'd react. I didn't want to complicate our lives any more than they already are. But I finally realized it wasn't going to go away," she explained.

He reached out and pulled her gently into his arms, knowing that she needed as much reassurance as he could give at the moment. "You never have to be afraid of telling me anything, okay? I can't wait to have a baby with you. It's going to be incredible."

She pulled back slightly, looking deeply into his eyes. "You really think so?"

He nodded, brushing a piece of hair behind her ear. "I do. So next time, save yourself the worry and just tell me right away, alright?"

Her eyes went wide. "Next time?" She asked, sounding horrified.

He chuckled. "You know what I mean." He kissed her softly on the lips. "So does that mean we're not going to be giving this kid any brothers or sisters in the future?" He asked jokingly.

The look she shot him told him instantly that she was back to normal.

**A/N: **I know it's a little shorter than usual, but like I said, there are things missing that I just can't seem to remember. If I get the file back, I might replace this chapter with the original, we'll see. Just keep your fingers crossed for me! And fill my box with some reviews, please, because I could so use some cheering up lol. And I promise you that another pretty big twist is coming up soon whenever this story continues. I hope you're all happy with where it's going thus far, but remember, never get too comfortable, because I like to shake things up whenever I can. I'll try to get the next one out as soon as I can, obviously depending on what I find out about the hard-drive. Thanks guys!


	10. Her Children Stir

**A/N**: Ok, so here we are again. Sorry it's taken me so long to update! As you can probably guess, I was unlucky in the retrieval of my files. And what's worse is that it took them almost a week longer than they said it would to get around to my hard-drive. So I've been spending a lot of time working on the re-writing process. So far, I've got about half of it re-written, so it's going alright. I just needed to get to a point where I was sure I wouldn't have to come back to this chapter and add things in, which has been happening a lot. So hopefully I'll be able to start updating more regularly again. I hope you guys haven't forgotten about this one! If you're still out there, enjoy.

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Chapter Ten: Her Children Stir

"What do you think it'll be? A boy or a girl?" Fiyero questioned one night, about a week after she'd revealed her pregnancy to him, as they were both crammed into the bathroom and readying for bed.

Elphaba sighed, throwing him a quick glance in the mirror. "I have no psychic maternal intuition on the matter, nor do I have any inclination," she replied in a bored tone.

"None at all?"

"I hardly took the time to imagine the gender of the child I never saw myself having." She met his eyes for a moment. "Why? Do you have a preference?"

"No, not at all," he replied quickly. "I'm sure each comes with its own benefits and challenges. I was simply curious to see what you thought."

"I'm not sure it makes much of a difference," she said with a shrug.

He couldn't help but laugh. "It'll make a difference, I promise. It's not as if we're referring to what color to paint our next house."

But Elphaba didn't look amused in the least. She glared at him in the mirror. "Don't you think I know that?" Suddenly, she was brushing past him and out of the room. He cursed himself mentally, well aware that she was feeling quite overwhelmed and insecure lately on top of the mood swings the hormones caused. He waited a moment before following her into the bedroom. He saw her sitting on the edge of the bed, hunched over slightly, looking utterly defeated.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to snap at you. I'm just tired," she said, not looking up at him.

"Well, I accept the apology… but not the lie," he replied.

That at least caught her attention and she met his eyes instantly. "What are you talking about?"

"I know you're tired, but I also know that this is about much more than that. You're overwhelmed, you're feeling sick half the time, but most of all, you're scared," he stated knowingly.

Her gaze dropped and she ran a hand shakily through her hair. "What do you know?" She asked, annoyed.

He knew that he'd gone too far for her liking, but he also knew he was getting closer to the truth. He figured he didn't have much to lose at this point, so he pushed further. "If there's one thing I know, Elphaba, it's you… You're terrified you won't know how to love it."

She looked up at him again, her eyes wide. He knew then that he'd hit the nail on the head. Before she could speak, he jumped back in. "And I also know that your fear is ridiculous. You think that because your family was terrible to you that you won't feel that inherent connection with your own child. You're wrong. I know that you're capable of love and I consider myself one of the luckiest people in the world to have experienced that firsthand. I also know that you've experienced the kind of love you think you're incapable of. I can tell just by the way you sometimes speak of your mother."

She shook her head dismissively. "I can hardly even remember my mother."

"And yet you loved her anyway, without reason or pretense. That's the way you'll love this child in time. Once its here, you'll laugh at yourself for having had these doubts, I know it," he assured her, reaching out to her with a small smile. She didn't smile back, but he saw her body relax slightly and he knew that she was doing her best to let him in. He took advantage of that by walking over and sitting on the bed next to her.

She sighed and he noticed that she'd taken her bottom lip between her teeth. "I just wish I felt more toward it now. I wish it came easier," she admitted softly. He reached out and laid a hand over hers.

"It will come easier in time. But it's still new and you're still adjusting to something that right now may just seem like an incredible inconvenience and something that is taking this enormous toll on your body and your emotions. You're allowed to feel confused."

She gazed at him intently for a moment before a ghost of a smile crossed her face. "You do know me better than I realized," she said so quietly he almost didn't hear it.

"You have so little faith in me," he teased.

She shook her head quickly. "I take it back. You don't know as much about me as you think… If you did, you'd know you're the _only_ thing I put my faith in."

He smiled, touched by her words. "Well then you should trust that I know what I'm talking about." He reached out and brushed his fingers lightly along her cheekbone. "You're going to be an amazing mother. I have no doubt."

She smiled back at him, but didn't reply. He knew that she simply needed to come to that realization in her own time. Eventually, she'd know he was right.

* * *

Fiyero soon told Evander and Emmeline of Elphaba's pregnancy and they were more than thrilled to hear the news. Emmeline had never had children of her own, but as it turned out, she was the oldest of a very large family so she'd helped her mother through several births. She immediately sent Fiyero home with vitamins for Elphaba and mountain of advice for them both. She and Evander had also taken to letting him off work early most days, which suited him well as Elphaba's "morning" sickness seemed to occur largely in the late afternoon. She mostly shut him out of this part of her pregnancy, though. Sometimes he would arrive home and find the bathroom door firmly shut and would simply have to wait for her to emerge. Other times he would find her resting on the bed or couch and know that she'd already been sick for the day. Occasionally, she was vulnerable enough to let him help. On these days, he would hold her hair back and whisper gentle words of comfort into her ear before curling up with her in bed when she was finished.

Emmeline had mentioned to Fiyero that making it past the third month and into the second trimester was the real key. After that, the chances of the baby's survival increased drastically and Elphaba would likely start to feel better. When she crossed that mark in late fall, they both breathed a huge sigh of relief. She _was_ feeling better and she also seemed more accepting of the whole situation, which Fiyero was glad to see. Though she didn't consent to talk about the baby and their future as a family nearly as much as he would have liked, she still engaged in these conversations much more often than before. She also seemed in better spirits now that her energy level was back up and her appetite had finally started to return.

Fiyero quickly noticed, though, that it wasn't just her appetite for food that had been newly awoken. She suddenly couldn't seem to get enough of him. Sometimes she would ambush him when he came in the door from work and kiss him as if she hadn't seem him for days. Others she would take his hand after dinner and lead him seductively up to the bedroom. Occasionally, she even woke him in the middle of the night to make love. He knew it had something to do with the hormones, but it hardly mattered. It was never just sex with them. He knew the love was there.

One night, after they'd finished, they lay in bed with the sheets pulled up only to their waists. Fiyero lay perpendicular to Elphaba and traced imaginary patterns on her emerald stomach. She wasn't really showing yet, her stomach just looked slightly bloated, as if she'd simply had a large meal that evening. Had he not been so familiar with her body, he never would have even noticed it. As it was, he found himself fascinated by the slight swelling, the evidence that a life actually grew inside of her. He couldn't keep the grin off his face as his fingers brushed lightly over her skin.

"I can't wait till you're really showing," he told her softly.

"You mean you can't wait till I look like a fat cow?" She questioned sarcastically.

"You won't look like a cow. You'll be beautiful, especially since it's my baby you're carrying around in there."

"You just wait till I'm waddling around like a duck. We'll see if you feel the same way."

"You'll be glowing," he continued, ignoring her.

She gave a dry laugh. "Scary thought. I'm already green, Fiyero. How much more can I possibly glow?" Suddenly, he noticed the twinkle fade from her eyes as her face grew serious.

"What is it?"

She hesitated briefly. "What if it's like me?" She asked in a small voice.

"You mean what if it's green?" Fiyero had been prepared for this question for a quite a while. He was surprised it hadn't come up sooner, being well aware of her feelings on that particular aspect of her appearance.

"I just don't want my child to go through what I had to." Her eyes looked haunted suddenly and he knew she was remembering the torment of her own childhood. He took her hand in his, bringing her fingers to his lips.

"It won't be like that, Fae. We'll protect it, no matter what, just like your father should have done for you. And if it is like you, we'll find a place where people won't care, where you'll both be accepted," he assured her.

She eyed him skeptically. "You think such a place exists?"

"I'm sure of it."

She sighed. "I wish we could go there now."

"I know you do. But soon enough you'll be too far along to travel. We'll wait until the baby's born and then we'll make a new home as a family."

They fell into a comfortable silence for a moment before Elphaba broke it. "You really won't care if your child is green?" She asked disbelievingly.

"Of course not. How can you not see by now how beautiful I think you are, Fae? And not in spite of your skin, but because of it. As long as our baby is healthy, nothing else matters to me," he replied sincerely.

She quirked an eyebrow at him "Since when did you become so diplomatic?"

He smiled. "Well, someone has to balance out your rashness."

"Another thing we'll hope the baby doesn't inherit from me," she joked.

"There are plenty of things I hope it does get from you, though."

"Like what?" She questioned and he knew that, from her, that was as good as begging for reassurance.

He leaned down, pressing his lips to the skin right above her navel. "Your intelligence for one." He moved up to her rib cage, dropping soft kisses there as well. "Your wit, your strength, your morals, and especially your passion." He punctuated each quality with a kiss, moving up her body until his lips finally met hers.

She smiled, her hand coming up to brush his cheek. "I hope it inherits your way with words."

* * *

Fiyero got his wish when Elphaba hit her fourth month of pregnancy and began to sport a noticeable bump. She was beginning to outgrow most of the clothes she had and had taken to wearing either her loosest dresses or occasionally one of Fiyero's shirts, which he found quite enticing. He picked her up some sewing materials when he went into the village so she could make herself some new dresses. When he made his next trip to the University to pick up additional travel books, he also made sure to buy some informational volumes on pregnancy and infants. Since they were doing this without the help of any medical professional, he figured it was best that they gain as much knowledge as possible. Elphaba had thus far stayed away from the books, focusing solely on researching distant lands where they could hopefully settle, so Fiyero had mostly taken it upon himself to research the development of their child. She typically rolled her eyes when he mentioned anything from the books. She shyly mentioned to him one day, though, that she was experiencing headaches and congestion and hadn't been able to successfully cover the look of relief on her face when he assured her that the books said those were normal symptoms.

One night, Fiyero was cooking dinner and Elphaba was sitting at the table, surrounded by open books. She was taking notes in the old notebook she used to write in, which had been replaced for that purpose by the journal he'd gotten her for her birthday. As Fiyero stirred the contents in the frying pan, he suddenly heard a sharp gasp behind him and turned abruptly just in time to see the pencil fall from Elphaba's hand. Her hands instantly flew to her swollen stomach and she looked down at it, wide-eyed.

"What is it?" Fiyero asked urgently, worried that something might be wrong.

"I think I just felt it move," she whispered back, her voice full of awe. He was across the room instantly, kneeling beside her chair. His hands quickly joined hers on her stomach.

"What did it feel like?"

"Like butterfly wings," she breathed, the closest analogy she could come up with.

"Is it still moving?" He questioned.

She waited for a moment, still and silent. "No, I think it stopped."

"Well, I probably wouldn't be able to feel it anyway. I read that you typically can't feel the baby moving or kicking from the outside until the sixth or seventh month," he informed her. She nodded absently, showing no sign that she'd actually heard him. "You okay?"

She looked up at him then, finally meeting his eyes. She gave him a small smile. "Yeah, I'm fine."

"You look a little dazed," he commented.

She shook her head slightly. "I guess it's just the first time it's felt real, you know? I mean I know I've been growing exponentially in size, but until now, it's sort of just felt like this parasite inside of me that's sapping me of my energy and making me act like a crazy person. Now it really feels alive, like an actual person that's coming to be. It's both comforting and frightening at the same time."

"Frightening?" He asked, taking advantage of her sudden openness.

"Well, yes. I'm still scared to death of this whole thing, but it's a more rational fear now, I guess. I fear complications, I fear the birth, I fear knowing how to care for it once it's here, but I don't fear the actual child as much anymore. It's strange."

He smiled at her. "You're bonding with it."

She rolled her eyes instantly. "Please, none of that mother-child connection psychobabble. I can't take it."

He chuckled. "That's more like it. You were acting way too much like a normal pregnant woman there for a second," he remarked sarcastically.

She studied him for a moment. "You never seem afraid. Sometimes I think that you're excited enough for the both of us."

"It's not that I'm not scared. I have the same fears you do, but I am excited too. I guess I'm just trying to find my place in this whole thing. It's different to experience it as an outsider, you know."

"You're hardly an outsider, Fiyero," she assured him, bringing her hand up to cup his cheek. "You've been beside me for this whole thing, through every mood swing and every moment of paralyzing doubt." She hesitated for a moment. "I know I'm going to regret this, but I'll blame it on the hormones. You know how I told you I considered terminating but I couldn't bring myself to do it? Well, the reason for that was because I couldn't stand destroying something that was part of you, that might someday have your eyes and your compassion... You know I couldn't do this without you."

He smiled at her gratefully and leaned up to kiss her gently. "Well, that's true. You'd have no idea what was going on since those pregnancy books are the first I've ever seen you refuse to go near."

"Why bother when I have you to inform me?"

He laughed. "I suppose I don't mind you relying on me," he conceded.

"Good. Now, go rescue that food before it burns. I'm eating for two, you know."

**A/N**: So it would be really great if you guys could let me know what you thought and remind me you're still reading, so I know I'm not redoing this whole thing for nothing. Next chapter is kind of a big one, so I won't give any hints except to say that trouble is about to come their way. I'll try to get it up soon!


	11. Sunday Pulls Its Children

**A/N:** Wow, I just have to say that you guys totally blew me away with your reviews of the last chapter! I was so thrilled to know that people didn't give up on this while I was in my hard-drive/re-write crisis. I want you all to know that you motivated me to write like a crazy person and the missing parts have almost all been re-written, which I hadn't truly been certain I could do, but there you have it. So please keep it up, I appreciate it more than you know! And with that, onto the next chapter.

* * *

Chapter Eleven: Sunday Pulls Its Children

When Elphaba reached the fifth month of her pregnancy, she began to truly feel pregnant. Her body felt heavier and it wasn't just her stomach that was swollen anymore. Every once in a while, she would feel the baby move, a slow roll inside of her, and always it stopped her dead in her tracks. She could hardly believe that so much time had passed, that she was already more than halfway through her pregnancy. It seemed both all too soon and endlessly far away that the baby would actually arrive.

Winter was in full swing and the snow had been falling almost constantly for weeks. Fiyero had been working odd hours at the farm, sometimes able to get in a full day's work and sometimes shunted by the weather. He was travelling home one day when a snowstorm had started up, lightly at first, but looking like it would soon pick up. He was relieved to get home early to Elphaba, as she hadn't been feeling all that well the night before. He was guiding Dandelion up to the cottage when he suddenly noticed something that made his heart go cold. There was another horse tied to a tree in front of the house. His heartbeat instantly picked up as he wracked his brain for any possibility that shouldn't cause him to panic. When he couldn't think of any, he quickly pulled Dandelion to a halt a small distance away and slid from her saddle.

He approached the house cautiously, trying to remain as quiet as possible. When he was near the door, he saw a sudden movement and quickly ducked beneath the closest window. Peering inside, he noticed a man he'd never seen before moving slowly through the kitchen. A gleam from his hand suddenly caught Fiyero's eye and he noticed the man carried a small dagger. Panic set in instantly, his brain conjuring up a thousand images of what may have happened if he'd already made it to Elphaba. Snapping into action, he crept over to the nearest tree and found a medium-sized branch that a recent storm had blown off. Getting a firm grip on it, he made his way over to the front door. He took a deep breath, knowing that the only thing working to his advantage was the element of surprise. When he made it inside, he would have to move quickly.

Steeling himself, he twisted the knob and burst into the room with as much force as he could manage. The man was standing only a few feet away and looked quite taken aback at Fiyero's sudden appearance. Fiyero wasted no time in raising the branch over his head to bring it down on the stranger. The man recovered quickly, though, and raised the dagger as the branch came down over his head, catching Fiyero in the arm with the blade. Luckily, the blow to the head caused him to crumple immediately and the resulting gash in Fiyero's arm hardly seemed life-threatening.

"Fiyero?" A soft voice asked from behind him. He whirled around and saw Elphaba standing in the doorway of the living room. Her hair was slightly mussed and her eyes looked unfocused. He could tell that she'd been napping on the couch just around the corner. He shuddered to think what might have happened had he not arrived at that moment.

Elphaba's vision seemed to clear suddenly as she noticed the unconscious figure on the ground and her eyes went wide as saucers. "Who the hell is that?!"

"I have no idea. But his knife tells me his visit probably wasn't a friendly one. He was stalking around the kitchen when I got home. You didn't see him at all?"

She shook her head slowly, her gaze still fixed on the stranger. "No, I was asleep. I had no idea."

"Well, whoever he is, there may be others behind him. We can't stay here," he stated, the words falling like blows upon them both.

"Where will we go?" She asked fearfully, her eyes meeting his.

"I don't know, but right now we just need to get as far away from here as possible. The sooner the better," he said urgently.

She snapped immediately into alertness. "What do you need me to do?"

"Go upstairs and pack a bag of clothes and necessities. I'll pack some food. Meet me down here as soon as you're finished," he directed.

She nodded, immediately disappearing up the stairs. He grabbed a large satchel and immediately began to fill it with food and several canteens. His eyes searched frantically around the room for anything else they might need. He saw the books and maps strewn out across the table and knew they would have to be left behind. He found her notebook among the mess, though, and immediately added that to the satchel. As he was finishing, Elphaba reappeared in the room with a bulging bag of her own. Picking up the cloak he'd laid aside, he strode over and fastened it around her. Then, without a word, he took her hand and led her outside. They made their way quickly to the horse and Fiyero helped Elphaba onto the front of the saddle, aware that her growing belly would make it difficult for her to hold onto him from behind. He climbed on behind her and wrapped his arms around her to grab hold of the reins. Elphaba suddenly let out a sharp gasp as she noticed his bloodied arm for the first time.

"You're hurt!"

"It's just a flesh wound. We'll worry about it later," he told her in a tone that left no room for argument. To his immense relief, she didn't press the issue. He immediately dug his heel into the horse's side and guided her into a gallop.

They traveled for over an hour in complete silence. The snow picked up slightly as they rode, but the visibility luckily remained decent. When they eventually reached a small patch of woods, Fiyero guided the horse to stop under a large tree. He dropped the reins and immediately wrapped an arm around Elphaba's front, pulling her flush against him. He buried his face into her neck, breathing her in.

"I was so scared that guy had gotten to you first. I don't know what I would've done," he whispered shakily.

She reached a hand back to rest on the back of his head, fingers threading through his hair. "I know, but that didn't happen. You got to me first. It's okay," she assured him. "Now let me have a look at that arm so _I_ can stop worrying."

He nodded against her, then let out a deep sigh before dropping his arms. He slid easily from the horse and then turned to help her down as well. As soon as her feet were on the ground, she pushed aside his cloak and reached for his sleeve, pushing it up and away from the wound.

"The bleeding seems to have mostly stopped. It should be stitched, but I don't have the tools. I'll just bandage it for now and hope it holds," she mumbled, half to herself. She reached into her bag and pulled out some of the leftover medical supplies they'd been given for his leg injury. She quickly set about cleaning and dressing the wound, wrapping the bandage tightly around his arm to stop any residual bleeding. Once she was done she looked up at him carefully.

"How are you feeling? Any dizziness or nausea?" She questioned, concerned.

"No, I'm fine," he replied quickly. His eyes darted briefly to her midsection. "How about you? Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm okay," she reassured him. She took a deep, shuddering breath. "What are we going to do?"

"I don't know, but we have to figure something out quickly. The weather's likely to get worse before it gets better and it's not safe for you to travel too far in your condition," he replied softly, but firmly.

Normally, she would have protested, insisted that she could take it, but she knew that she had more than just herself to look after now. "But the only places we know in Ev are the caves and barns we slept in last winter," she reminded him darkly.

He paused, looking at her seriously. "Then we'll have to go to Oz."

She gaped at him, certain she must have misheard him. "To Oz?! But you said we could never go back there!"

"I don't see what other choice we have," he said desperately, beginning to pace. "We can get to the border within a day and we can probably get to the Vinkus quickly after that. And at least we'll be more familiar with the territory."

"Whoa, Fiyero, hold on. We can't possibly go to the Vinkus," she protested.

"What other option do we have? At least I know that my family will trust me when I tell them what really happened. They'll be able to keep us safe, at least for a while."

"Your family, maybe, but what about your staff? You live in a castle, there's far too many people there than we can dare to trust," she reminded him.

He sighed deeply. "We may just have to take that risk."

She turned her back on him, taking a moment to think. After a long moment she asked, "How long would it take us to get to the Middle Badlands?"

"If the weather doesn't get worse, we could probably be there by tomorrow afternoon, evening at the latest. Why?"

"There's a shelter there, for Animals that were in hiding or looking to regain their powers of speech. I heard about it while I was underground in the city. I knew a good number of Animals that fled there. If it's still functioning, they may still be there," she explained.

"And if it's not, it may at least be abandoned… The Badlands are notoriously difficult to travel through, though, very unpredictable," he recalled.

"The shelter is supposed to be rather near the border. And it's not as if the weather here is exactly hospitable."

"True," he conceded. "Okay, this could work. Let's get moving, it's going to be a long night."

She nodded her understanding and they both made their way back toward Dandelion. They mounted her quickly and took off through the woods. They traveled all through the night, stopping several times to let the horse rest and drink some water. During one of these stops, the snow began to pick up and Elphaba used magic to start a fire. Fiyero dug through his bag for an extra cloak and draped it around her before they set off again. She seemed to be holding up relatively well, but they didn't talk much during the night, both resolved to save their energy.

They reached the border a few hours after sunrise. Elphaba stared at it in awe, having never traveled out of Oz before they used the portal to get to Ev. It was one of the most curious things she had ever seen, stretching out before them like an opaque layer of film, shielding them from whatever lay beyond it. Throwing a quick glance at Elphaba, Fiyero proceeded to guide Dandy across. The instant they passed through the film, everything changed. What had just a moment ago been an icy, cold forest was now a sweltering desert. The winds blew moderately and the sun beat down on them from above. They both immediately began unfastening their cloaks. As Elphaba began to remove her second, though, she felt Fiyero's hand on her arm, stopping her.

"Wait. As much as I hate to say it, you should probably leave that one on. If anyone happens to be out here and spots us, even from a distance, your skin would be a dead giveaway," he reminded her gently.

She sighed, realizing the truth of his words and nodded miserably. Fiyero reached into his bag and pulled out the canteen, handing it to her. "You should wet your clothes down to help you stay cool and hold on to that so you can keep yourself hydrated," he suggested. She did as told before securing her hood over her head again and nodding to him that she was ready. They set off in an eastern direction, keeping their eyes peeled for any sort of building they may come across.

The sun only grew hotter as it continued to rise in the sky. Fiyero could feel Elphaba beginning to sag more heavily against him and he worried about her overheating. He also knew that if they traveled much further, he would have to stop and make sure Dandelion got some water.

"I think I see something," Elphaba said suddenly. Fiyero was worried that in her state, she may simply be seeing a mirage, but he squinted in the direction she was looking and he too thought that he saw something off in the distance. He sped the horse's pace slightly and set off in that direction.

As they grew closer, it was clear that what they were seeing was not simply a building, but a network of small houses and structures, connected by what looked like metal tunnels. Fiyero approached the front house from the side, not wanting to be easily spotted by whoever might be inside. He pulled the horse to a stop directly against the side of the building and slid down, turning immediately to help Elphaba. She slid down, seemingly boneless, before walking over and leaning heavily against the outside of the house. She took a few gulps from the canteen and was breathing somewhat heavily.

He moved closer to her. "How are you holding up?" He asked gently.

"I'll survive," she replied breathlessly.

"You think this is the right place?"

She nodded. "It must be. It fits the descriptions I'd heard, not to mention that the Badlands are supposed to pretty much be abandoned otherwise."

"Okay, in that case, I think you should stay here and I'll go knock on the door and feel them out."

"But you're recognizable too," she protested.

"Not nearly as much as you are. I'll be careful, okay?" He paused. "But I want you to promise me that if something goes wrong, you'll take the horse and go. Don't think twice, just get the hell out of here."

"Fiyero-"

"No, Elphaba, don't. I need to know that you'll be safe before I do this. Please," he pleaded desperately.

She looked at him for a moment, wanting nothing more than to argue, but also needing to move this along so she could finally get out of the sweltering heat. "Fine."

His shoulders practically sagged in relief. He reached out and laid his hand over her cheek. "Okay, just stay here and I'll come get you when it's safe." She nodded and he leaned forward to gently kiss her damp forehead. Giving her a small, reassuring smile, he rounded the corner of the house and headed for the door.

He steeled himself and knocked firmly. He waited a moment before the door cracked open slightly and a Cow peeked through.

"Who are you? What do you want?" She questioned.

"Please, I mean you no harm. I'm merely a traveler in need of shelter. I've been hunted by the same people that once hunted you. I heard about this shelter a while back in the Emerald City and I was hoping someone here may be able to help me," Fiyero explained, choosing his words carefully.

The Cow studied him for a moment. "I'll have to fetch the Animal in charge. I don't make these sorts of decisions. Please wait here."

Fiyero nodded. "Thank you." She shut the door then and Fiyero waited, pondering what he would say to whoever the Cow was fetching. He nearly jumped when the door opened again, wider this time, and an Animal stepped toward him. Recognition dawned on him immediately and his mouth fell open in utter shock.

"Dr. Dillamond?"

**A/N:** Ohhh so I'm capable of cliff-hangers it seems haha. Sorry this one is a little shorter than normal, but it was the best cut-off spot I could find. And I was hoping a little cliff-hanger might keep you guys all reviewing since you were so wonderful to me last chapter! Next in our little journey: Fiyero and Elphaba catch up on the happenings in Oz among other things. I'll get it up soon!


	12. Only Now I Do Believe

**A/N**: Sorry guys, I meant to get this up much sooner, but it was a truly crazy week and weekend with some great 12 -hour work days. The good news is that I should finish up the re-write of the lost chapters tonight or tomorrow and then I can finally get on with where I left off almost a month ago. Thanks as always for your reviews, they have been so amazing and they really keep me writing. It's also really nice to know that new readers are still finding their way to this story, it makes me happy. I hope you all enjoy this next installment!

* * *

Chapter Twelve: Only Now I Do Believe

The Goat's face reflected the surprise Fiyero felt as he looked his former student up and down. "Master Fiyero? All of Oz believes you to be dead."

"And it's better if it remains that way," he said quickly. "I'm in danger if I were to be discovered. My companion even more so. We came here, hoping we might find a temporary shelter."

Dr. Dillamond nearly smiled at that. "You must be referring to Miss Elphaba."

Fiyero gaped at him for a moment. "How- what would make you say that?"

This brought a full smile from the Goat. "I was Miss Elphaba's teacher, and a professor of life sciences at that. I knew that she couldn't be killed with a bucket of water."

"Then you know that everything they say about her is a lie. That she was hunted simply because she tried to prevent the Wizard from further repressing and harming the Animals."

"Of course. I also know that she freed me from the palace and likely saved my life," he replied.

"So you'll help us?" Fiyero asked hopefully.

"I would be honored to have the both of you stay. You'll be safe here. Now where is Miss Elphaba exactly?"

"I'm here." They both whirled around to see Elphaba rounding the corner of the house and coming into view. Fiyero should have known that she wouldn't wait until he declared the situation safe. She pulled her hood down as she moved toward the professor she'd admired so much back at Shiz.

"I thought you were dead," she said to him softly.

"Yes, well, it seems they weren't able to do away with either of us that easily," he replied with a smile. She went to him then, hugging him tightly. Though her cloak currently hid the bulk of her stomach, Dr. Dillamond must have felt it against him, because he pulled back suddenly and looked down at her midsection.

"Well, it seems you're more in need of help than you let on. Please, come inside. It's dreadfully hot out here," the Goat said, stepping aside so that they could enter.

They quickly found themselves in a small living room, which opened up into an even smaller kitchen. There was a couch and two armchairs gathered around a small table. The Cow from before was standing behind the couch, looking uncertain.

"These are old friends of mine from my days at Shiz University. I assure you that they can be trusted," Dr. Dillamond reassured her. The way she was glancing nervously at Elphaba suggested that she was already well aware of her identity. What they didn't know was what version of the events she had been led to believe.

"We have a horse outside that will need somewhere to be housed as well," Fiyero said, mostly to distract the Cow from Elphaba.

Dr. Dillamond nodded before he turned to the Cow. "Martha, would you please see to it that the horse is tended to?" He asked kindly. She nodded curtly before showing herself out the front door. Dr. Dillamond turned his attention back to his new guests. "Please, sit."

Elphaba immediately lowered herself onto the couch, already in the process of taking off her cloak and letting the cool air wash over her. Fiyero sat beside her and Dr. Dillamond took the chair across from them.

"Well, if you don't mind my asking, where exactly have you been all this time?" The Goat asked.

Elphaba's gaze immediately locked with Fiyero's and she gave him a short nod, signaling for him to take over the explanation. "Well, after all of Oz believed Elphaba to be melted, we thought it best we relocate immediately, so we fled to Ev. We settled in a cottage my family owns and have been living there for nearly a year. Things seemed to be going well, but a man with a knife broke in the other day. We didn't really get the chance to gather what he was there for before I knocked him out. After that, we thought it best we leave immediately. We obviously hadn't planned on traveling for a while, so we didn't have many options. Elphaba said she'd heard of this place a while back and it seemed like our best option."

Dr. Dillamond took this in for a moment. "Well, I'm certainly glad you knew where to find us." He turned to Elphaba. "How far along are you?"

"Just over five months," she replied simply. "And what of you? The last time I saw you, you were being held captive in the palace and completely speechless."

He shook his head slowly. "Ah yes, not some of my fonder memories, I'm afraid. As luck would have it, though, the guards became quite preoccupied with your appearance and I was able to escape. I fled here and was rehabilitated for several months. I remained here afterward to help other Animals and I essentially took over the shelter not long after the Wizard departed and Miss Glinda took power. She's been very good to us, that old classmate of yours. She's given us funding and made sure we get our necessary supplies. She's certainly not the shallow, somewhat unintelligent girl I remember from Shiz."

"No, she wouldn't be. She's been through a great deal these past years. I suppose we all have," Elphaba replied, smiling sadly. "And how is it for Animals now? Have things improved this past year?"

"Well, change doesn't happen overnight, I'm afraid, but things are certainly looking up. Miss Glinda has passed several laws and drafted some important documents regarding Animal rights, some of which she requested my help with. In theory, our rights have been fully restored, it's now just a matter of making sure the people of Oz recognize that. We still get a fair number of Animals here who are being discriminated against or treated poorly. There's also still a good amount that have not yet regained their powers of speech. It'll just take time."

"So you've remained off the map, so to speak?" Fiyero questioned.

"Oh yes, I daresay that only a handful of humans know our exact location. It's more about a sense of security for the residents than protection, but we've found it best to remain private. You should be quite safe here for the time being. How long do you plan on staying?"

Again, Fiyero looked to Elphaba, aware that they hadn't had a chance to discuss the matter, though the answer now seemed rather obvious. "Until the baby arrives, I suppose. We've been researching, trying to find a place we can make a more permanent home, but our research was obviously cut short. If we can continue it here, hopefully we can come up with something by that time," he replied.

"Well you're welcome to stay here for however long you need, of course. I'll do what I can to help you obtain research materials. If you're up for it, Miss Elphaba, I could also certainly use your help with some of the residents here. I'm the only educational staff member here right now and with your help, we could get twice the number of Animals speaking again."

Elphaba looked at Dr. Dillamond as if he'd just handed her a priceless gem. "I would love to help," she told him eagerly.

"Wonderful," the Goat said happily. "And now, allow me to show you to where you'll be staying. I'm sure you're both in desperate need of some rest." He rose and waited for them to do the same. "If you'll follow me."

He guided them through his kitchen and through a door into a dark metal tunnel. They passed through several similar houses and tunnels until Dr. Dillamond finally stopped inside a kitchen identical to his own. "This particular house is out of the way of most of the frequented buildings so you should get some privacy. I'll have a talk with the other residents and ask that they grant you such. I'll reveal your identities only to the other two staff members, although I'm relatively sure Martha has gleaned that information already. We can figure out later how much to tell the other residents. You should have some food already in here, though I'll send Martha in later with some additional items. For now, just relax and get some rest." He smiled at both of them and then turned to re-enter the tunnel they'd come from.

"Thank you so much for helping us," Elphaba said.

He smiled at them. "Just returning the favor." And with that, he left.

They wasted no time in entering the living room and heading down the short hallway in search the bedroom. Finding it easily, they moved inside and dropped their respective bags. Fiyero quickly lowered himself onto the bed, but Elphaba remained standing near the doorway.

"You should get off your feet for a while. I'm sure you're exhausted," he said knowingly.

She nodded slowly. "I am, but if I lie down now, I fear I might never get up again. And I'd very much like to bathe first."

"That's probably not a bad idea. I think I sweat a couple gallons out there." She immediately pinned him with her gaze, arching an eyebrow at him. "Okay, okay, I get it, I didn't have to wear the cloak the whole time. You can have the shower first."

"Thank you," she replied with a small but triumphant smile.

She quickly made her way across the hall and into the bathroom, shutting the door behind her. Fiyero forced himself off of the bed and took it upon himself to unpack while she showered. He opened her bag and dumped its contents onto the bed. It seemed to contain mostly clothes, but he noticed the small leather-bound journal fall from the bottom of the bag. He smiled, relieved that she'd thought to bring it along with her. Whatever she'd been writing all this time, he was glad she hadn't lost it. He set the journal carefully on the nightstand before he went about placing their clothes in the nearby dresser. He took the other bag into the kitchen to store the few food items they'd brought with them. When he returned to the bedroom, he saw Elphaba standing there, wrapped in a towel that fell to just above her knees. Beads of water still clung to her skin and her hair fell like a silken waterfall over her back. She was breathtakingly beautiful. Had he not been so tired, he would have tackled her onto the bed then and there.

"Where did you put the clothes?" She asked, seemingly oblivious to the way he was staring at her.

"In the dresser," he replied, watching her move toward it. She rummaged through the drawers, finally pulling out an over-sized shirt to sleep in. He turned from her, determined to walk out of the room before she dropped the towel to change.

He emerged from the bathroom fifteen minutes later, refreshed from his shower, and crossed back into the bedroom. He instantly smiled at the sight of Elphaba, burrowed beneath the covers and sleeping soundly. He wasted no time in pulling on some comfortable clothes and crawling onto the other side of the bed. He snuggled up behind her until her back pressed against his chest, and draped his arm around her middle, his hand resting lightly on the peak of her stomach. Her hair was still slightly damp and he buried his face in it, breathing in the soft sent of her shampoo. He felt incredibly grateful suddenly, well aware that things could have gone drastically wrong that day. Luck had certainly been on their side, for once.

Assuring himself that Elphaba and the baby were both safe and sleeping in his arms, he finally allowed himself to drift off as well.

* * *

When they awoke hours later, the sun was setting. They both forced themselves out of bed and into the kitchen for a bite to eat. Dr. Dillamond must have sent Martha in while they were sleeping, for the cupboards and fridge seemed fully stocked. They ate dinner in relative silence before making their way sleepily back to the bedroom. As Fiyero sifted through the notebook containing their research notes, making note of what texts they should request of Dr. Dillamond, he noticed Elphaba out of the corner of his eye. She was trying to stretch her back out, but her swollen stomach seemed to be constantly in the way. He smiled, looking amused.

"You sore?"

"A bit," she replied dismissively, continuing her attempts.

"A bit? Please, I'm more than a bit sore from riding all night and I'm not lugging around the weight of an extra person inside of me," he replied skeptically.

She looked at him with a small smile. "Fine, so every bone and muscle in my body aches, okay? You happy now?"

He set the notebook down on the nightstand and patted the space in front of him on the bed. "Come here."

She eyed the spot he was gesturing to. "Why?" She asked warily.

"Just come here," he said with slight exasperation. Sighing, she consented, moving so that she was right in front of him. He brought his hands up to her shoulders and began to work the knots and tension from her muscles. She immediately let out a moan of pleasure and he smiled to himself.

"You've been holding out on me," she accused as he moved down the column of her spine.

"I like to keep you guessing," he joked. She sighed as he worked on her lower back and she leaned back to rest her head against his shoulder. He dropped a quick kiss to her hairline.

"So you really think we should stay till after the baby's born?" She asked softly after a moment.

"I think it's probably our only option. Even if we came up with another plan, you'd probably be too pregnant to travel by then. Besides, I think we'll be safe here. We know we can at least trust Dr. Dillamond to keep us hidden as best he can," he replied.

"I still can't believe he's alive… Most of those I try to help don't meet such kind fates."

"Hey, none of that. You heard what he said, he credits you with his life. As do I," Fiyero reminded her.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to get all doom and gloom. You're right, we've had nothing but good news since we arrived here. I'm so glad this place is still up and running. I can't wait to start working with the Animals, finally feel like I'm truly accomplishing something again."

"You mean other than growing a human life inside of you?"

"Yes, besides that, because that takes little to no conscious effort on my part," she replied matter-of-factly.

"You are truly unique, my Fae," he told her, sounding both amused and awed.

She tilted her head back further against his shoulder so she could look up at him. "I hope you're not just realizing that now."

"No, I just mean that you've been beaten down by others nearly your whole life and you still manage to be utterly selfless."

"No one in this world is entirely selfless, Fiyero, and I am no different from anyone else in that regard."

"Well you're as close to selfless as a person can get anyway. You'll grasp at any opportunity to help a person or Animal in need. I suppose I saw that in you from the day we rescued the Lion cub. It was definitely one of the things that drew me to you," he told her.

"You really had feelings for me back then?" She asked disbelievingly.

"Oh yeah. I may have hardly been a blip on your radar then, but you were already in the process of changing my life entirely." He smiled at her, allowing his hands to still for a moment and rest on her shoulders.

"You were always on my radar, Fiyero," she said, shifting so she was facing him. "I just didn't believe in love back then, at least not for me."

"And now?"

She smiled, leaning in to kiss him. He met her halfway, his lips moving languidly over hers. When she pulled back, she rested her forehead against his.

"You made me believe."

**A/N**: Okay, so I know that was a little bit of an informational/filler chapter, but it was necessary. Don't fear, there will be lots of drama coming up! Next chapter, our couple gets familiar with their new home and Elphaba receives a huge shock. Remember, reviews keep me writing and therefore, posting :)


	13. She'll Sit and Think of Me

**A/N**: Okay, so here you are- huge shock revealed! I actually tried to get this up last night while I was at work (until 2 AM, oh joy), but people kept distracting me from editing it, so it's a day later than intended, I'm sorry. Hopefully it was worth the wait, although I did keep it under a week this time haha. I don't really have anything else to say before you read, so enjoy!

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Chapter Thirteen: She'll Sit and Think of Me

The next day, Dr. Dillamond gave them a tour of the facility. There were twelve small houses like their own and only eight were occupied at the time. There was a medical building in the middle of the complex, where injured and sick Animals were treated. There was also a building that consisted of one large, open room that was mostly used for meetings and such. As it turned out, there were only three resident staff members, including Dr. Dillamond himself. Martha was the caretaker of the facility, feeding and caring for those who needed assistance. When they arrived at the medical center, they were introduced to Dr. Matusoff, who was the resident medical doctor. He was a Goat as well and had apparently gone to college with Dr. Dillamond. He'd been stripped of his license during the Wizard's rule and had eagerly accepted the invitation to come practice medicine again at the facility when Dr. Dillamond invited him. Though he was now fully reinstated and could work wherever he pleased, he'd remained on staff at the shelter, because he felt it was the most important work he could be doing at the present time.

After they had been thoroughly introduced, Dr. Matusoff offered to give Elphaba a cursory check-up to make sure her pregnancy was progressing normally. Fiyero was relieved when she agreed, though she did so hesitantly. He'd read a number of the books he'd bought cover to cover to assure himself that everything was going well, but hearing it from an actual doctor would be more than welcome. He led Elphaba over to a bed and she sat on its edge.

"Do you know exactly how far along you are?" Dr. Matusoff questioned.

"About twenty-one weeks."

"And have things been going smoothly?"

"I had a fair bit of nausea and fatigue in the first trimester, but it's gotten much better since then. Now it's mostly just joint pain and swelling and some occasional congestion."

"All perfectly normal," he assured her. "Have you been able to feel the baby move at all?"

"Yes, I felt it for the first time just recently and then a few times since."

"Good, good. Any other complications or concerns?" He asked.

Elphaba shook her head. "None that I can think of."

"Okay, well I'm going to listen to your heart and lungs then to make sure it all sounds normal. Then we'll see if we can pick up the baby's heartbeat," he said, picking up a stethoscope and placing the buds in his ears.

Elphaba nodded as he pressed the metal part against her back. He instructed her to take a few deep breaths and he listened carefully for a moment as she complied. He sat back, smiling and saying everything sounded fine. He then instructed her to lie back so he could check on the baby. She did so and Fiyero helped her pull her shirt up to expose her stomach. The doctor pressed the stethoscope into her skin, listening and moving it around a few times.

"There's better equipment for this sort of thing these days, but we're not exactly a fully functioning facility here and our means are somewhat limited. This should still be able to pick up the heartbeat, though, as long as the baby's in the right position," he explained. It took about five different spots, but he was finally able to hear it. He listened as he kept time with his wristwatch. "Perfectly healthy heart-rate and the positioning seems to be fine as well. Would you like to hear it?" He asked, holding out the stethoscope to Fiyero.

Fiyero glanced at Elphaba, feeling the need to seek her permission first. She nodded at him and he eagerly took the earpieces from Dr. Matusoff as the Goat continued to hold the metal piece in the right place. His ears were immediately filled with a soft, but rapid thumping sound. He felt his face immediately split into a grin, completely amazed at the evidence that his child was actually alive in there.

"You have to hear this, Fae," he told her, removing the earpieces and quickly handing them to her. She placed them in her own ears and listened for a moment.

"It's so fast," she whispered, amazed.

"Fetal heart-rates are supposed to be much quicker than ours. Your baby seems perfectly healthy so far," Dr. Matusoff told them with a reassuring smile.

Before they left, the doctor told Elphaba he'd like to see her once every two weeks or so for a check-up and encouraged her to come to him if she had any questions or concerns. They met back up with Dr. Dillamond, who took them into one of the houses to introduce them to one of the Animals he would be enlisting Elphaba to help. As they watched the Panther struggle to speak, Fiyero saw the fire that burned in Elphaba's eyes. She was truly in her element here and he was glad that she could do something that would make her truly happy.

He just didn't know how he would ever be able to drag her away from this place.

* * *

As predicted, Elphaba dove into her work almost immediately. Dr. Dillamond had asked for her help with three particular Animals and she had sessions with them each day. Often times, Fiyero would only see her for brief meals and to sleep. After a week, he realized that he needed to find something to occupy his time as well and he began helping Dr. Matusoff at the medical center, much to Elphaba's delight. He didn't have much medical knowledge, but he was perfectly capable of basic tasks such as cleaning wounds and bandaging.

He also found his new position useful because he was always sure to be present for Elphaba's check-ups. This way, he could assure himself firsthand that she was staying healthy. He sometimes worried that she was working too hard, stressing herself out too much, but he usually realized that wasn't the case. He saw the way her eyes sparkled at night when they lay in bed and she recounted the progress she'd made that day with one of the Animals. He knew that, even if the work took a slight toll on her physically, it did wonders for her emotionally. He supposed it was a fair enough trade.

One afternoon, Elphaba sat in Dr. Dillamond's living room with him, having tea and discussing some possible teaching methods to try with the Animals. Elphaba was in the middle of an idea when there was suddenly a knock at the front door. They both knew that only outsiders or new arrivals used the front door, as everyone else had access to the tunnels. They were quickly on their feet, Dr. Dillamond opening the closet door and gesturing for Elphaba to get inside, which she did. Once the door was firmly shut and he was certain she was well hidden, Dr. Dillamond went to answer the door.

Elphaba found that she was able to peer through a small crack in the closet wall and she watched as the Goat pulled open the door. She could tell by the look on his face that whoever was there was someone he recognized, but was surprised to see.

"Well, this is certainly a lovely surprise. Please, come in," he offered kindly.

"Thank you," came the reply in a terribly familiar light, girlish voice. Elphaba immediately found herself frozen, her mind racing, certain she'd misheard. But with the swish of an extravagant white traveling cloak and the bounce of perfectly set blonde curls, the guest was through the door and Elphaba could tell she hadn't been mistaken at all.

"To what do I owe the pleasure, Lady Glinda?"

Glinda turned to look at him and Elphaba couldn't help but drink in the sight of her. She looked as beautiful and well put together as Elphaba remembered her, but she did seem slightly older somehow. The smile she wore on her face didn't quite reach her eyes.

"Please, there's no need for formalities. I'm actually here to ask a favor of you," Glinda implored.

"I'm happy to help in any way that I can," Dr. Dillamond replied.

"Well, you see, some of the winged Monkeys have remained with me since Elphaba… Anyway, it seems that there are some who still associate them with her and haven't given them the easiest of times. I'm afraid one of them may have been attacked and has most assuredly suffered a broken wing. I didn't know that any of the hospitals in the Emerald City were equipped to deal with such an injury and I thought it might be best if he get away from those who wish to harm him for the time being. Would it be alright if he stayed here, at least while his wing heals?"

Elphaba could hear the sadness in her friend's voice, both when she referred to Elphaba herself and when she spoke of the harm that had befallen the Monkey. Elphaba felt a pang of guilt, realizing that the Monkeys were still suffering because of her. As she often had before, she wished there was more she could have done for them before she left.

"Of course he is welcome here. I assure you we'll take very good care of him," Dr. Dillamond said, offering her a comforting smile.

"Thank you. He's in the carriage just now. He fell asleep on the trip here and I didn't want to wake him until I was sure you had a place for him. I'll just go fetch him."

"Please, allow me to help you," he offered, following her to the door. As they exited, Elphaba briefly considered making a dash for it, but quickly realized she was far too interested to see how the rest of this encounter played out to leave. Her choice was a good one, for it was no more than a minute that they were back inside, leading in a Monkey whose wing was bent at an odd angle. Elphaba immediately saw that it was Chistery and her heart broke anew.

"I'll just bring him along to the medical center. It's probably best that you wait here a moment. Some of the Animals are still a bit wary of humans unfortunately," he told her gently. Elphaba knew that her former professor was simply using this as an excuse to keep Glinda from running into Fiyero, who was surely working in the medical center right then.

"Yes, of course," Glinda replied. She bent down to Chistery then and spoke to him softly, expressing words of comfort or farewell that Elphaba couldn't make out. The very sight made her eyes prickle with the threat of tears. After Glinda rose again, Dr. Dillamond led Chistery out to the tunnels. Glinda watched them until they disappeared through the door and then just stood there, gazing blankly around the room, looking slightly lost. The urge to damn the consequences and throw open the door was nearly overwhelming. Elphaba had never seen her friend look so forlorn before and the sight had her hand reaching for the knob when she suddenly felt a movement from deep inside her. She stilled instantly as her unborn child reminded her that it wasn't just her safety she had to worry about anymore. It was one of the hardest things she'd ever done, but she remained hidden.

Dr. Dillamond returned a moment later and Glinda immediately plastered on a smile once again, though this one was noticeably smaller. "Would you care to have some tea before you set out again? It's not the easiest trip and I'm sure you could use a short rest," Dr. Dillamond offered kindly.

"I suppose I could stay for a cup, though I'd like to get back to the city before dark," she replied, settling herself on the couch.

Dr. Dillamond poured her some tea and handed her the cup. "How have you been?"

"Extremely busy, really. I've been working with a board to improve the Quadling school system, as it seemed to be severely lacking. Thankfully, the new governor I appointed to Munchkinland a few months back has been very well received, so things have been rather peaceful from that end."

"That's wonderful to hear. But how have _you_ been, Miss Glinda?" He implored.

She sighed and Elphaba could almost see the mask of her public persona falling away. "To be honest, it's all been a little overwhelming. I never expected to be in a position like this. Most of the time it's all I can do to just close my eyes and pray that I'm doing the right thing. In many ways, this has been the hardest year of my life… but it's been important for me to experience. I guess I never realized how aimless my life was until I was thrown into power. It's taken a while, but I think I'm finally beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel. I've, um, been seeing a man on the Quadling school board, and he's been a great comfort. This sort of a life can be very solitary, as I'm sure you understand… My Oz, listen to me, I've practically talked your ear off, I apologize," she concluded, blushing.

"Please, I'm all too happy to listen. And may I say that from an Animal standpoint, you have been a truly inspired leader. You've become a symbol of hope for us, we're all very grateful."

"It's not me you should be grateful to, it's Elphaba," she blurted suddenly, looking a little surprised with herself. "It's been so long since I've even been able to say her name out loud. But I know that you knew her like I did."

"I suppose I did. I also know that she'd be very proud of all you've accomplished," Dr. Dillamond said sincerely.

Glinda looked around the room, her eyes sad. "I feel close to her here, seeing her work being carried out still. None of us would really be here today without her, would we?"

"No, we certainly would not. And you honor that fact with every step you take to undo the oppression the Wizard brought upon us."

"The last time we spoke, she told me it was up to me now. I think she knew what was coming, that they would hunt her until… I wish there were more I could have done for her," she replied softly, wistfully.

"You turned right around and banished the Wizard, that's exactly what she would have wanted."

"But that was Elphaba's doing too, really," Glinda said ever so quietly.

"What do you mean?" Dr. Dillamond questioned, confused.

She sighed, hesitating. "Well, I suppose I can trust you to keep this conversation quiet, yes?"

"Why, of course, Miss Glinda, I would never betray a confidence."

"It _would_ be nice to finally tell someone, I've kept it to myself for so long. I suppose there's really no harm now… You see, I didn't exactly have to use force to banish the Wizard, as most who knew him as he truly was would believe. He left willingly after he realized the truth."

"The truth?"

"Elphaba left me something, a green bottle that once belonged to her mother. I brought it to the Wizard, because I remembered that he had an identical bottle and I thought that strange. He realized what it meant almost instantly. As it turns out, he was a traveling salesman when he first came to Oz and, during his travels, he'd taken to a woman in Munchkinland. They had a brief affair while her husband was out of town," Glinda trailed off, allowing Dr. Dillamond to draw his own conclusion.

"You're saying that the Wizard…"

"Was Elphaba's father, yes. He never knew and when he found out… well, it broke him. I'd never seen him so distraught. He'd unintentionally killed the one chance he had at becoming a father, something he'd always dreamt of. He fled almost immediately," Glinda recalled seriously.

"Oh my, that certainly is a lot to take in," Dr. Dillamond said, throwing the briefest of glances over to the closet door.

"Yes, I know. I've spent a lot of time thinking about it this past year. The funny thing that I've realized is that they were incredibly similar- he and Elphaba. They were both strong-willed, passionate, stubborn, and incredibly smart. And at the same time, they couldn't have been more different. Elphaba would- and did- sacrifice everything to see that Oz became a better place. The Wizard only cared about himself, really."

"I suppose it's not really our bloodlines that shape who we become, but our experiences," he remarked, hoping Elphaba took in his words as well.

"And the people we meet along the way," Glinda added with a sad smile.

"Indeed."

She looked at him for another moment before her customary bright smile slid back into place. "Well, I've taken up enough of your time. I should be heading back to the city. Thank you so much for your hospitality," she said, rising from the couch.

"You are welcome here anytime, Miss Glinda. I will send updates about Chistery's progress," he told her, rising as well and walking her over to the door.

"That would be much appreciated, thank you. As always, be sure to let me know if there's anything you need here. I'd like to help in any way that I can."

"I will do that, thank you. Have a safe journey."

She paused in the open doorway. She offered him a last smile, this one neither sad nor forced. "Thank you for everything, Dr. Dillamond. Stay well." And with that, she was gone.

Dr. Dillamond gazed through the window, watching until the carriage had departed. He then turned back in the direction of the closet just in time to see Elphaba emerge, her expression completely blank.

"Are you alright?" He asked, concerned.

She nodded slowly. "I'm okay. I just need some time to process… all that."

"Why don't you take off your afternoon lessons? I'll let them know that you can't make it today," he offered.

She considered this for a moment. "Yes, that might be best. Please tell them I'll see them all tomorrow, okay?"

"Of course."

"Thank you," she said softly, turning toward the kitchen.

"Miss Elphaba?" He called to her. She turned back. "If there's anything I can do…" She gave him a small smile, nodded, and set off for the tunnel. He shook his head sadly as he watched her retreat.

**A/N**: Well, kind of a cliffhanger, but not too bad I hope. Congrats to musicfan1207 who totally guessed that Glinda was part of the huge shock, though I was mostly referring to her finding out about the Wizard, but I was impressed when I read your review haha. And thanks of course to all the rest of your reviews, they've been so wonderful and encouraging. Also, I want you guys to know that, even though I do write ahead in this story, I don't purposely hold out on updating because I want to torture you all haha. I do re-read and edit all the chapters myself right before I post them so I have to find the time to do that and I also will only post a chapter if I've gotten a sufficient amount of writing done since the last update. I write ahead because I write much much better when I'm not under pressure. I used to post everything I had written and then go ahead with the next one as quickly as I could so I could post that and it just didn't work well for me. I just wanted you to know that there's a reason I do it that way so you don't feel like I'm holding out on you lol. Anyway, next chapter- Fiyero and Elphaba attempt to cope with this huge discovery and more drama soon awaits them. I'm going to write some more right now so I can get it out soon!


	14. The Hymns Her Mother Sings

**A/N**: Okay, here we are again! Thanks for all your reviews, they were wonderful and encouraging as always. I've been struggling with a really difficult and emotional part of this story lately, so writing has been slow-going, but I've been working on it every day so I can keep the updates consistent. I also just found out I might be taking a trip up to SF very soon and I'll obviously go see the show a couple times, so that's always encouraging haha. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this latest installment!

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Chapter Fourteen: The Hymns Her Mother Sings

Twenty minutes later, Fiyero entered their bedroom to find Elphaba sitting on the floor, her back against the side of the bed. Her knees were pulled up as far as her protruding stomach would allow. She looked up at him as he entered and he noticed that her eyes were dry, but the haunted expression in them was almost worse than tears would have been.

"Mind if I join you?" He asked gently. She shrugged and shook her head slowly. He moved to sit beside her, his hand finding hers on the floorboards. "Dr. Dillamond told me." She nodded, figuring that had been the case. "What are you thinking?"

She let out a small, humorless laugh. "About a million different things."

He nodded, recognizing the fact that she wasn't shutting him out, she just didn't seem to know where to start. "How did Glinda seem?" He asked, not wanting to push her if she wasn't ready yet.

She smiled at that, though it was small. "She was even more beautiful than I remember her, but she was very different… She's still struggling to figure out who she needs to be, for Oz and for her own happiness."

"To be honest, I'm a little surprised you managed to restrain yourself. I would have half expected you to burst out and tell her the truth," Fiyero said lightly.

"I nearly did. I just hated to see her looking so sad. But after she talked for a while, I began to realize that she's doing okay. She's still grieving of course and still overwhelmed, but she's managing. She even told Dr. Dillamond she was seeing someone. I think she's finally finding her own way."

He reached out with his free hand and rested it lightly on her stomach. "I think maybe we all are."

She looked down at his hand for a long moment before taking a deep breath and looking back up at him. He could tell she was on the verge of breaking. "I hate that he's a part of me. But what I hate more than that is that he'll be a part of this child. This was supposed to be our chance to start over, to build a new life, but now…" The tears finally fell then, slowly splashing onto her cheeks.

He moved his arm so that it encircled her upper body, pulling her against him. She buried her face into his neck and he pressed his lips to the crown of her head. "You're nothing like him, Fae. Just because you share his blood doesn't have to mean anything. It doesn't change who you are. And it won't define who our child is either."

"But it could," she protested. "He was from another world, Fiyero. Oz only knows what he passed on to me, what I could therefore pass onto this child. He could be the very reason I'm green, why I have these strange powers! And that has defined me my entire life."

"I've already told you that none of that matters to me. I will love this child no matter what, and I still have every confidence that it will be just fine… I happen to believe that you turned out to be an extraordinary person both in spite of and because of your differences."

She took a slow, deep breath, then let out a shuddering sigh. "Even if the baby does end up being fine, how will we explain to it someday that such evil exists in our family's history?"

"The same way that I'm explaining it to you right now. We'll tell it that we make our own choices in life and that it's the people who truly love us that help shape us as people. Or if you prefer, we keep it to ourselves. Perhaps ignorance truly is bliss. We have plenty of time to decide these things," he reminded her gently. "Right now it's you I'm worried about."

For a brief moment, she didn't say anything and he was tense with anticipation when she finally spoke. "Glinda said that when he found out I was his daughter, it broke him. She said that he was completely defeated, that he left Oz without a fight. I almost wish he would've laughed at the knowledge, brushed it off as if it were nothing. It's so much easier to believe that people are simply black or white, good or evil, but the truth is we all exist in shades of gray."

"He cared for you. It was certainly too little too late, but he did care. I know it's not easy to reconcile, but you should at least try to find some comfort in that," he urged her.

"I'd really rather forget that he ever existed, but I know that's impossible, especially now. I just don't want him to have the satisfaction of destroying any other part of my life. I know this will take time for me to fully accept and deal with, but I'd really like to do my best to just move past it. I feel like my life was finally starting to make sense again. I won't lose that now, not because of him."

He looked down at her and, sensing his gaze, she tilted her head back slightly so she could meet his eyes. Though there was still a sadness evident in her face, he also saw the blazing determination in her eyes that he recognized all too easily. It made him smile.

"There's that strong-willed, stubborn creature I know and love. I knew you were still in there."

* * *

Elphaba was back to work the very next day and she picked up her duties seamlessly, leaving no clues of what she'd been through. She and Fiyero had reached a sort of silent agreement that they would not speak of their newly earned knowledge of Elphaba's parentage. Sometimes he caught her staring off into space and he could tell that she was thinking about it, but he also sensed that this was something she needed to come to terms with on her own. Overall, she still seemed to be genuinely happy and he knew better than to question that.

She did unfortunately find herself slowing down slightly as she crossed the sixth month of her pregnancy and entered her third trimester. Her stomach continued to grow at what seemed to be an increased rate and she began to tire easily from the strain her body was under. She also began to experience backaches and was frustrated when they kept her from being on her feet for prolonged periods of time. She hated feeling weighed down, but was still relieved to find that things were progressing normally. Her check-ups had all yielded positive results.

One noticeable result of Glinda's visit was that they began their research again with a renewed energy. Seeing her had reminded them that they weren't as safe in the shelter as they had told themselves they were. They were still in Oz after all and, therefore, still far too close to those that had driven them into this life in the first place. Dr. Matusoff had told them that the baby would likely be stable enough for travel at about two months, which gave them roughly five months to figure out where they were going and make all the arrangements. Dr. Dillamond helped them obtain new books and they often found themselves delving into them at night, surfacing only to share bits of information with each other.

Fiyero had gotten stuck at the center late one night when a new Animal had arrived in need of medical attention. By the time he made it back to their house, he found Elphaba already in her nightclothes and settled in bed. She was reading in a half-sitting position, having positioned a number of pillows behind her back and under her arms. He smiled at the sight.

"Well don't you look comfortable," he teased, entering the room.

She briefly glanced up at him from her book. "I'm hardly ever comfortable anymore," she muttered tiredly.

"Your back been bothering you again?" He asked sympathetically.

"Of course. I told you, this baby is out to torture me."

He chuckled, walking over to the dresser and pulling out his own nightclothes. "You just wait. When it's here and screaming its head off in the middle of the night, you'll want this time back."

"You make this whole parenting thing sound so appealing," she remarked, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

He finished changing and shrugged, moving to join her on the bed. "Everything has its ups and downs, I suppose," he said simply.

She set down her book and looked at him as he crawled under the covers. "What kept you so late?"

"New arrival. A Deer came stumbling up to the front, horribly dehydrated. Dr. Matusoff got some fluids in her and she seems to be doing better. I guess she'd been wandering for quite some time before she found us," Fiyero explained.

Elphaba frowned. "Poor thing."

"She'll be okay now. We'll get her back in good health and Dr. Dillamond will help her figure out where to go from here. Her powers of speech seem to be in tact at least. I told her I'd be back in the morning to check on her." He noticed suddenly that she was smiling at him. "What?"

"Nothing. It's just that you've become so charitable. When did that happen?"

He smiled back at her. "I guess you've been rubbing off on me a bit."

"Well, don't go turning green on me," she teased.

He leaned closer to her. "Oh but you know I find green such an enticing color," he whispered in her ear, kissing the skin just below it. She let out a soft sigh and he took that as encouragement to continue to kiss down the column of her neck.

"Ow!" She muttered suddenly as he reached her collarbone. He backed away immediately.

"What is it? Did I hurt you?"

"No, no, it's not you. The baby just planted a kick painfully close to my ribcage," she explained. His eyes immediately lit up in excitement. She knew he had yet to feel the baby move or kick and he was more than eager to do so. Smiling indulgently at him, she took his hand and guided it under her nightshirt to the top of her stomach, holding it in a specific spot. She waited a moment, watching his face carefully. The baby finally delivered a swift kick to the same spot and Fiyero sucked in a quick breath before his face split into a grin.

"I felt it!" He said excitedly. He kept his hand there for a moment as the baby continued to kick. "That is unbelievable. Does it really hurt you?"

"Not much, no. Sometimes it just catches me a little off-guard," she replied.

"I still can't believe there's a little person inside of you," he said, shaking his head slowly.

"Well I should hope I'm not getting this fat for nothing."

"You're not fat," he said firmly. "You're pregnant and you're beautiful. You're more radiant than I even imagined you would be."

She smiled at him and leaned forward to capture his lips with hers. She sighed against them as he responded and allowed herself to melt completely into him for a moment. She cursed her aching body for forcing her to pull away before the kiss went any further. She studied him for a moment, loving the look of total contentment on his face.

"You're far too charming for your own good," she teased him.

He laughed softly. "So now I'm charitable _and_ charming? You better be careful, all these compliments might start to go to my head."

"Well, we wouldn't want that. Your ego is quite healthy enough already."

"Ah, I knew the kind words could only last so long… Well how about I prove to you how giving I am by working on your back before we go to sleep, see if I can loosen it up a bit?"

Her eyes lit up immediately at his offer. "Ugh, screw your ego. You're a saint."

* * *

One morning, about two weeks later, Fiyero arrived in the medical center and was pleased to see that Elphaba was there, visiting with Chistery. Having been somewhat involved in her staged melting, he had hardly been surprised to see her at the center, though Elphaba did have to carefully explain to him why her stomach had grown so large. His speech had improved greatly and he was forming full sentences now, though still with relatively simple words. His wing also appeared to be healing well and he was more than happy to spend time with Elphaba again, having always been rather fond of her.

Fiyero watched their exchange from a distance as he half-heartedly organized some supplies. When she was finished, she saw him and made her way over. He smiled at her brightly.

"Didn't expect to see you here." He leaned down to give her a quick kiss.

"Well one of my morning lessons was cancelled, so I decided to stop by," she replied, sounding somewhat distracted.

"Chistery seems to be doing great," he said happily.

"Yes he does," she murmured.

"You okay? You seem a little… off," he commented with a hint of concern.

"Yeah, I'm fine," she replied dismissively.

"You don't seem fine," he said stubbornly.

She looked up at him and saw the way he was carefully studying her. She allowed a small smile to cross her face. "It's nothing really, it's just my back again. It's a little worse than normal, but I'll manage."

"Maybe you should take the afternoon off," he suggested.

"No, no need for that. As long as I just stay off my feet during the lessons, I should be- Oh!" She gasped suddenly and bent over slightly, reaching out and clutching his arm tightly as if in pain.

"Elphaba?" He asked, alarmed. "What is it?" He bent over slightly as well, laying a hand gently on her back. He saw that her eyes were squeezed shut. She let out a groan and stayed utterly still for a moment. Finally, she took a deep breath and opened her eyes, straightening out slightly.

"Fiyero, I think you should get the doctor," she said quietly.

He led her quickly over to the nearest empty bed and helped her sit on its edge. "What the hell was that?"

"I'm not sure, but I think it might have been a contraction," she replied, her voice sounding small and scared. It was her fear more than anything that made him snap into action, making his way quickly through the center to find Dr. Matusoff. He checked several of the different sections before he finally found the doctor bandaging a small wound on a Fox.

"Dr. Matusoff, I need you right now. It's Elphaba," he said urgently, not wanting to waste any time with frivolous explanation.

The Goat met his eyes and immediately began setting down the bandages. "Is she alright?"

"She might be in labor," he replied simply, hoping it would suffice. He saw the doctor's eyes widen and he rose from his seat almost instantly, following Fiyero back to Elphaba's bed. When they reached her, Elphaba was still sitting with her legs hanging off the side of the bed, one hand clutching her stomach lightly.

"Tell me what happened," Dr. Matusoff said quickly, moving to stand in front of her.

"I was having back pain again, but I noticed that it was more sharp than it normally is. I started to feel a little dizzy when I just suddenly felt this huge rush of pain and pressure. It lasted a little under a minute I think."

"It could be a contraction, but it could indicate other things as well, such as an abruption or some kind of fetal distress. Why don't you lie back so I can measure the baby's heartbeat?"

Elphaba complied immediately, swinging her legs up onto the bed and laying back against the elevated headrest. Fiyero helped her pull her dress up so that she was clothed in nothing more than her underclothes and dark tights below her waist, but modestly hardly seemed to be her biggest concern right now. Dr. Matusoff put on his stethoscope, placing it on Elphaba's abdomen. He was in the middle of repeating his normal ritual of shifting the end around to find the right spot when Elphaba's back suddenly shot off the bed. She let out a low moan and once again clutched tightly at her stomach. Dr. Matusoff dropped the stethoscope instantly and instead pressed his paws firmly into her belly.

"Definitely a contraction," he said after a few seconds. He snapped into action, walking over to the closest supply closet and pulling out what Fiyero recognized to be an IV kit.

Elphaba came down from the contraction as Dr. Matusoff was making his way back over to them and looked at him frantically. "I can't be in labor now! It's too early!"

**A/N**: Yes, a mean cliffhanger, I know! Maybe it'll encourage some reviews…? Haha, I promise I won't make you wait too long for the next part as long as you do your part and let me know what you thought :). Coming up- will the baby be born early and what effects might this complication have on Elphaba? Find out soon!


	15. Her Fragile China Dolls

**A/N**: See, lots of reviews equals fast updates? No seriously, though, you guys are so awesome and I'm so glad you're all liking the story so far. Your kind words make my day! Well that and the fact that I got to unexpectedly see Wicked this weekend and it was aaaaaamazing. So my good mood and your reviews means you get another chapter. Enjoy!

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_Elphaba came down from the contraction as Dr. Matusoff was making his way back over to them and looked at him frantically. "I can't be in labor now! It's too early!"_

Chapter Fifteen: Her Fragile China Dolls

"It's called pre-term labor and you are most certainly experiencing it. Now we're just going to have to stop it before it progresses too much further." He quickly opened the kit picked up the small needle. He inserted it into Elphaba's arm and taped it down. "I need to get the medication from the fridge," he explained hurriedly as he got up and walked off.

Fiyero and Elphaba were barely able to share more than a panicked look before Dr. Matusoff was striding back in, holding an IV bag. Without a word, he hung it on the stand and made quick work of connecting it to the tube that would deliver it directly into Elphaba's blood stream. "This is called magnesium sulfate. It's a heavy duty muscle relaxant and it should help slow down and, ideally, stop your contractions," he explained.

"How long will it take?" Fiyero questioned.

"Hopefully no more than a couple of hours. If you're still having contractions in three hours or if they start to get much closer together, we'll attempt a different treatment," he replied.

"What happens if you can't stop the labor? What if the baby comes? Will it survive?" Elphaba asked fearfully.

"At twenty seven weeks, it's definitely possible."

"Possible," Elphaba reiterated, understanding his meaning instantly. She knew that this small medical center was not equipped to deal with a severely premature infant.

"Right now I just want you to focus on staying relaxed so your contractions stop. You should try to move around as little as possible, because movement actually encourages labor to progress. Now you're probably going to start to feel woozy and little weak from the medication, but I want you to have Fiyero come get me immediately if you experience any trouble breathing or anything else that just doesn't seem right, okay? Fiyero, I need you to time her contractions, keep track of how far apart they are. I'll be back to check on your progress in a bit." He gave them a reassuring smile before he left.

Fiyero turned immediately to Elphaba, who was already looking up at him, her eyes speaking volumes. He sat on the edge of the bed, careful not to disturb her IV line, and took her hand in his. With his other hand, he reached out to touch her cheek. "It's going to be okay, Fae," he told her softly.

"You don't know that."

"Yes, I do, because there's no way in hell that I'm letting anything happen to you or this baby. We just have to wait for the contractions to stop and we'll take it from there, ok?"

"But what if they don't? I saw the look in his eyes, Fiyero. This baby can't come yet," she said desperately.

"It won't," he replied, sounding much more certain than he felt. "You just have to do your best to try and relax right now."

She nodded uncertainly and he leaned toward her, brushing his lips against her forehead. He lingered there for a moment and he suddenly felt her entire body tense, her hand gripping his like a vice. He stayed close, whispering words of comfort in her ear, until the pain finally seemed to subside. He glanced up at the clock, mentally noting the time. When he pulled back from her a bit, he noticed that her forehead had broken out in a light sweat. He realized then that she was still wearing all those layers, which couldn't have been comfortable.

"Will you be okay for a sec if I go get you a gown to change into?" He asked her. She gave him a brief nod, still somewhat out of breath. He pressed another quick kiss to her forehead and rose from the bed, making his way toward the supply closet. He quickly grabbed one of the larger sized gowns and walked back over to Elphaba's bed. Setting the gown down for a second, he made quick work of removing her boots. He looked up to her for permission before he removed her tights and she gave him another quick nod. He gently pulled them down her legs and from her body before moving to the upper half of the bed.

"Can you shift onto your side just a bit so I can undo your zipper?" She complied, pushing herself off of her back. He used one of his hands to help support her as the other reached down to the zipper. Once it was down, he pulled the two halves as far apart as they would go and slipped the sleeves slightly down her shoulders before he eased her onto her back once again. He noticed suddenly that her eyes were closed and took that to mean that she trusted him to complete the task himself. He slipped her free arm through the sleeve and managed to maneuver the dress down and slide her legs out of it. He then grabbed the gown and draped it over her front, putting her arm through the sleeve. He moved to the other side of the bed and carefully unhooked the IV bag from the stand, making sure to hold it high enough so the tube didn't get twisted. He pulled her dress sleeve down her arm and over the bag, finally freeing her from the garment. He then repeated the process in reverse with the gown before hanging the IV bag again.

"There are ties in the back, but we can do those up later. At least now you'll be cooler," he said softly. She nodded, but didn't speak or open her eyes. He reclaimed his position on the edge of the bed and took her hand again. She was hit with another contraction a minute later and Fiyero glanced again at the clock as he tried to talk her through it. Dr. Matusoff breezed in as she was coming down.

"How are we doing in here?" He asked.

"The contractions are about eleven minutes apart," Fiyero recited instantly.

"Good, that's very good. That means you're likely still in early labor and not active labor." He turned his attention to Elphaba. "How are you feeling?"

"Tired. And my body feels heavy," she replied softly, her words sounding slightly slurred.

"That's from the drugs, all perfectly normal. How's your back feeling?"

"Still sore, but the pain is a bit duller now."

"Is it in your lower back?" She nodded. "Both sides?" She nodded again. "Okay, well we'll keep a close eye on you for the next couple of hours, make sure that we get a handle on this thing." He picked up the notebook beside her bed, which was used to chart medication and such, and made a quick note before he left again.

Fiyero returned his attention to Elphaba, whose eyes were still open, but looked slightly glassy. He gave her as much of a reassuring smile as he could manage. "You're doing great," he said encouragingly.

"I don't want to lose it, Fiyero," she said so softly, he almost missed it. "I know I act like I hate it sometimes, but I really do want it to be okay."

"Oh Fae, I know that. None of this is your fault, okay? You're doing the best you can." His fingers grazed lightly over her cheekbone. "I love you," he whispered.

"I love you too," she murmured, her eyes slipping shut again.

She faded in and out over the next two hours, dozing off and then coming out of it abruptly when a contraction would hit. He coaxed her through each of them as best he could, holding her hand, rubbing her back, and trying to find the right words to help her stay calm. The contractions started to slow and become less intense until, finally, she remained asleep for over twenty minutes and it seemed the labor had stopped altogether. Fiyero was silently thanking every higher power he had ever learned about, regardless of not believing in most of them, while Dr. Matusoff examined a sleeping Elphaba.

"The magnesium sulfate did the trick it seems. I'm going to keep her on it for another hour or so and then I'll remove the IV," he told Fiyero, who noticed that he still looked more than slightly concerned.

"Is something else wrong?" Fiyero questioned.

Dr. Matusoff sighed. "No, not something else per se. I'm just trying to understand what caused the preterm labor in the first place," he explained.

"So these things don't just happen on their own?"

"In this case, I think not. I'm concerned that she may be experiencing something called pre-eclampsia. It's a condition where a woman's blood pressure can get abnormally high during pregnancy. If the blood pressure spikes, it can often cause preterm labor. It's most common in younger women during the first pregnancy. Unfortunately, I don't have the equipment to accurately test for it."

"Is it a serious condition?" Fiyero asked, not liking what he was hearing.

"I'm afraid it can be, yes. Unfortunately, the only cure for pre-eclampsia is delivery, which turns this into something of a balancing act. Delivery right now would be very unsafe for your baby, but the longer we wait, the more of a risk to Elphaba," he explained as gently as possible.

Fiyero took a deep breath, trying to calm his now racing heart. "What kind of risk?"

"Well, pre-eclampsia can cause seizures and organ damage among other things. Right now, I'm concerned for her kidneys. Her back pain could indicate that there's been some damage, although it's also a perfectly normal symptom of pregnancy, so there's no way to know for sure. If the damage were severe, we'd know by her symptoms, so that's positive. I just want to keep her off of medication as much as possible so we don't put any additional strain on her kidneys. That's why I want to get her off the magnesium sulfate as soon as possible." He paused, placing a reassuring paw on Fiyero's shoulder suddenly. "I know it's a lot to take in, but I believe in being honest with my patients and their loved ones. With any luck, we should be able to keep this under control. I'm going to order her on strict bed rest for the rest of her pregnancy so she can keep her blood pressure down and hopefully keep from going into labor again. Once she's past 32 weeks, the baby should be mostly out of the woods and we can hope for a safe delivery."

"And if she goes into labor again before that?" Fiyero asked, though he sensed he wasn't going to like the answer.

"Well my priority is Elphaba, especially while the fetus isn't even full-term yet. I wouldn't risk kidney failure by putting her on too many more powerful medications," he replied, somewhat apologetically.

It didn't take long for the pieces to fall into place and it was beginning to make Fiyero feel slightly ill. "So what you're saying is that I may have to let go of my child to save her?"

"I'm afraid it may come down to that, yes."

* * *

Fiyero remained by Elphaba's side throughout the rest of the day and into the night. The drugs still had her completely knocked out, but he wanted to make sure she didn't wake up alone. He couldn't really imagine being anywhere else at a time like this anyway. He was still struggling to take in what the doctor had explained to him about pre-eclampsia and the risk it posed to both Elphaba and the baby. He dreaded having to explain the whole thing to her. This pregnancy had been difficult enough on her already and he wasn't sure how well she'd take this latest blow.

"You might hurt yourself, thinking that hard."

His head whipped up quickly to see that she was awake, though not looking entirely conscious. He forced a smile onto his face. "Welcome back," he said gently. "How are you feeling?"

She groaned. "Like my limbs are filled with lead… I told you this baby was out to torture me."

"Yeah, well if this is torture, I don't think you'll like what you're in store for next," he warned her.

"Oh no," she said knowingly. "Please not bed-rest."

"I'm afraid so," he replied sympathetically.

She groaned. "For how long?"

"Until you deliver."

"I have to stay in bed for _three months_?!" Judging by her tone, one might think she was being told she would be burned with hot pokers every day for three months. The thought almost made Fiyero laugh.

"Probably not. Dr. Matusoff doesn't think you'll carry that long. He's hoping you at least make it past thirty-two weeks before you go into labor again," he explained, bracing himself for the questions he knew would follow.

"But thirty-two weeks is still far too early. Why wouldn't they just use this medication again to put it off until the baby is full term?" She questioned.

"I should probably get Dr. Matusoff to explain this to you, he'll do a better job of it than I will," Fiyero said, moving to stand. He was stopped abruptly when her hand wrapped firmly around his wrist.

"I can tell you know something. I don't need the fancy medical terms, Fiyero. Just be honest with me," she urged.

He sighed and nodded, choosing to settle on the edge of the bed rather than the chair he'd been sitting in previously. Her hand slipped from his wrist to clutch his. "The doctor said you may have a condition that causes your blood pressure to get dangerously high during pregnancy. He thinks it might have been what set off your labor today. The drugs he gave you today can work, but they might be dangerous for you as well. He says if we can monitor you carefully and keep your blood pressure down, the condition should be manageable," he explained as simply as he could. He didn't want to go as in depth as Dr. Matusoff had until her mind wasn't still fuzzy from the medications.

"Manageable," she repeated softly, absorbing his words.

"What matters right now is that you're okay and the baby's okay. You can pepper the doctor with questions tomorrow, but right now you just need to get some rest. You've had a hell of a day."

For a moment, she looked as if she were going to argue, but she simply didn't have the energy for it. She sighed deeply and nodded at him, giving in. "Can you help me with the blanket? I'm a little cold."

"Sure," he said, standing. "Why don't you roll over a bit so I can tie up your gown. That should help too." She pushed herself onto her side slightly and he could see the effort it cost her. He did the ties as quickly as possible so she could lie back down. He then reached under her legs and worked the blanket out from underneath so he could pull it over her. She grabbed the end of it when it was within reach and settled it securely under her chin.

"Better?" He asked, reaching out to brush a stray lock of hair from her face.

"Mhmm," she replied, though she was still trying to pull the blankets closer around her.

He rolled his eyes. "Liar," he murmured as climbed onto the bed beside her. It was a tight squeeze, but as long as he lay on his side, they could both fit. He wrapped his arms around her upper body, pulling her close. She snuggled into him, seeking his warmth through the blankets.

"Thank you," she mumbled sleepily, eyes already closed.

He kissed the top of her head. "You're welcome... You scared me to death today, you know," he confessed.

"I'm sorry," she replied, clearly losing the battle to stay conscious.

"It's not your fault. I'm just glad you're okay." Had she not been nearly asleep, she might have caught the slight hitch in his voice as he said it. As it was, she simply nodded against him and let sleep claim her. It was a long while, holding her tightly in his arms, before Fiyero finally succumbed to exhaustion as well.

**A/N**: Sorry if it's a little shorter than usual, but the next one is pretty long at least. Coming up- How will Elphaba deal with this latest blow once she really understands what it means? Also, an Animal with an interesting story comes to the center. Keep reviewing and I'll keep updating!


	16. There Are Sailing Ships That Pass

**A/N**: Sorry guys, I really wanted to get this up sooner but I had someone staying with me all weekend and when I tried to post it earlier today from work (which was sooo slow), my internet was being annoying. But here it finally is! As always, thank you for your reviews. Whenever I get more than 10 for a chapter (as you've given me for the last several), I just feel so amazed and incredibly blessed. I've been working on this story almost every day so I can keep the updates as consistent as possible. I hope you enjoy this latest installment!

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Chapter Sixteen: There Are Sailing Ships That Pass

Fiyero awoke early the next morning, his body stiff and sore from being crammed onto the small cot all night. Elphaba still seemed to be sleeping soundly, so he decided to go back home for a bit to shower and change. When he arrived back at the center, he found that Elphaba was awake and Dr. Matusoff was already with her, giving her a quick exam. They both glanced up at him as he entered.

"Ah, good timing," Dr. Matusoff commented. "I was just telling Miss Elphaba that the baby seems to be doing fine."

"And _I_ was just about to ask Dr. Matusoff to explain more about this blood pressure condition," Elphaba added quickly.

"Well, I'm not sure how much Fiyero has already explained to you, but I'll just start from the top." Elphaba nodded appreciatively. "The condition I suspect you may have is called pre-eclampsia. As you seem to know, it involves your blood pressure and the fact that it seems to be sky-rocketing. If I'm correct, this is what caused you to go into preterm labor and possibly what has been causing your backaches as well."

"Why the backaches?" Elphaba questioned.

"Well, pre-eclampsia often affects the kidneys when it goes untreated for long enough. It's possible that you've suffered some amount of organ damage already. As I told Fiyero last night, though, we would surely know if your kidneys were failing, so that's good. Minor damage is fairly manageable, we're just going to have to keep you on a diet which eliminates certain foods, such as things that are high in sodium. We'll also have to limit your protein intake. The hope is that the organs will be able to heal after the baby is born. For now, we just have to be careful about giving you medications that would put additional strain on them," he explained.

"Such as the magnesium sulfate," she stated intuitively.

"Exactly. For now, I'm going to put you on some herbal muscle relaxants. They're not nearly as strong or effective, but they'll be much safer for you."

"What about the baby? How does this condition affect it?"

"It really doesn't. This condition is essentially just a risk to the mother. The only cure for it, I'm afraid, is delivery of the placenta and, therefore, the baby."

Elphaba nodded slowly. "So if something starts to go wrong, or if I begin having contractions again…" she trailed off, looking to the doctor.

"We'll deliver the baby. It's really our only option, I'm afraid," Dr. Matusoff replied as gently as possible.

"And if you did give me the drugs? Hypothetically."

"I wouldn't do it, Miss Elphaba. If you were to suffer kidney failure, it would greatly endanger your child as well. I will focus on saving you rather than losing the both of you any day."

Elphaba took a slow, deep breath and looked down at her protruding stomach. Fiyero, who had stood back and watched the discussion take place until that point, made his way to her side and gently took her hand in his. Elphaba seemed to gain some measure of strength from the gesture and she returned her gaze to the doctor.

"So what do we do to keep us both healthy then?" She asked, her eyes determined.

"Well, we're going to keep you on very strict bed rest until you deliver. I only want you up to use the bathroom and bathe. And as difficult as this may sound, you're going to need to relax. I know this all sounds incredibly scary, but the more you try to forget about it and just try to remain positive, the better it will be for you and your baby. Stress will only make your blood pressure higher. I know that telling you all this makes you want to do anything but relax, but I believe in full disclosure, especially in this case. Your health and your baby's health will very much depend on you now. I wouldn't want anything to go wrong because you didn't realize or understand the consequences. Now that we know what we're facing, we should be able to get a hold on it. I'll monitor you and the baby very closely. I'm going to have Dr. Dillamond try to acquire some additional medical equipment for when your baby is born, since it will almost definitely be premature."

"At what point will the baby be safe to deliver?"

"Well, that's a difficult question to answer, because all babies develop differently. I would say that as of 32 weeks, the chances are fair to good. After 36 weeks, the chances increase dramatically as the lungs will most definitely be mature by then. Like I said, we're going to try to prepare for any scenario. You let us worry about that, though. Until then, all I want you to worry about is resting and staying calm, okay?"

She nodded. "I'll do my best," she replied simply.

"Good. I'll be here the rest of the day, so just have Fiyero come get me if you need anything at all." They both thanked him and with that, he left.

Their eyes immediately met and they held each other's gazes for a moment in silence. "Wow," Elphaba muttered suddenly.

"I know," he replied sympathetically. "It's a lot." She shifted her gaze downward and nodded absently. He studied her for a moment. "Maybe you should get some more rest."

She shook her head. "I couldn't sleep right now," she replied simply.

He sighed. "Ok, then scoot over."

She looked up at him then, confused. "What?"

"You heard me."

Arching an eyebrow at him, she complied. She shifted slightly toward the side of the bed and nearly cracked a smile when Fiyero settled himself beside her, squeezing again into the small space. She felt herself relax slightly as his arms came around her.

"I still won't be able to sleep," she warned him.

"I figured. Have I ever told you about the disastrous vacation my brothers and I took?"

She looked up at him. "Fiyero, what are you doing?"

He leaned down and kissed her gently. "I'm taking your mind off it. So anyway, my brothers and I decided to travel into the city one time…" Elphaba settled against him as he wove a highly amusing tale involving cheap motel rooms, lost possessions, and brotherly competition. By the end of it, she was laughing softly and he was smiling at the sound of it.

"My humiliation never fails to amuse you," he joked.

"No, it doesn't… It's nice to hear more about your family. You don't speak of them much," she observed gently.

He brought their entangled hands up to his lips and kissed her fingers lightly. "That's because you're my family now."

She looked up at him again, deeply touched by his words. No one had ever claimed her as family with such a note of happiness and gratitude in their voice. "I love you," she whispered up to him.

He took a shuddering breath and she could suddenly see in his eyes the toll this ordeal had taken on him. "I love you so much, Elphaba, you have no idea."

She was about to argue with him, tell him that she had every idea what he meant, when she suddenly felt a familiar sensation from within her. She placed a hand on the swell of her abdomen. "It's kicking," she told him.

He placed his hand next to hers. "It's probably angry about nearly being evicted yesterday," he said lightly.

"Yeah, probably trying to tell me it's not going anywhere without a fight," she muttered.

"Sounds just like its mother," he replied kissing the top of her head. He felt her stiffen suddenly. "What is it?"

She sighed. "We're talking about it like we're sure it's going to make it," she said softly.

"We have to. We can't give up on it now. It needs us," he insisted.

She let this sink in for a moment. "You're right."

"I'm sorry, what was that? I don't think I heard you," he teased, smiling. "You couldn't have possibly just said I was right for once, could you? Because I didn't think those words were in your vocabulary."

She allowed a small smile to cross her face as she lightly hit his shoulder. "You're insufferable."

"Now there are some words I recognize," he joked before sobering slightly and leaning down to kiss her forehead. "We're going to be okay, Fae. All of us." His hand rubbed light circles on the peak of her stomach.

For the time being anyway, she chose to believe him.

* * *

Elphaba remained in the medical center for about a week before she finally convinced Dr. Matusoff to let her go home. She assured him that she would rest and take care of herself and would likely be under less stress when she was not being so closely observed. Dr. Matusoff had finally relented, though not before sitting with her and Fiyero and going over the long list of her limitations and medical needs. He insisted on coming to check on her once every few days and gave them a long list of the foods she could and could not eat.

On the day Elphaba was allowed to leave, Fiyero came to help her back to their small house. She was irritated to find that the herbal muscle relaxants still made her limbs feel very heavy and weak and that, after being completely bed-ridden for a week, she needed Fiyero to literally carry her through the tunnels. He had brushed it off as nothing, but he could see the frustration she was feeling at her lack of independence. He worried about how she would fare over the next several weeks.

As the following week passed, though, he realized that the herbs she was on often made her woozy and fatigued and she slept for a large majority of the day. When she was awake, Fiyero made sure she was always surrounded by books, though she often took to writing in her journal. She had been so busy with the Animals recently that she hadn't had the chance to pick it up for a while. Fiyero was only working short shifts at the medical center now. Even in his short time away from Elphaba, he worried about her constantly. He worried that something may go wrong, that she may need to go to the bathroom and her legs would give out on the trip, that she would want food and he wouldn't be there to get it for her. Had she been more alert most of the time, he was certain she would chastise him for how often he came and checked on her.

Fiyero had also begun to occupy a large amount of his time at home continuing the research they had started together. Elphaba was in no state to continue it with him, though she often insisted she was. He couldn't let her endure the stress and disappointment he felt every time one of their leads came to a dead end. He assured her that he was perfectly capable of researching on his own, though he truthfully was not making much progress. Two minds had certainly been better than one and her mind was much sharper than his had ever been, but her health was the priority right now and he wasn't going to risk it for anything.

The break in his research ended up coming from a place he had never expected. Dr. Dillamond had come to the house one night to visit with Elphaba and update her on the progress of some of the Animals she had been teaching. Fiyero had allowed them some privacy, but it wasn't long before Elphaba dozed off and Dr. Dillamond came to find him in the kitchen, surrounded as he often was by heaps of books and maps. Fiyero looked up as the Goat entered.

"She asleep?" He asked.

"As good as, yes. I see you're back to your research," Dr. Dillamond observed. "That's actually partially why I came tonight. We welcomed a new arrival today who I really think you should meet."

"Right now?" Fiyero questioned, eyes averting toward where Elphaba now slept.

"I figured you'd rather leave while she was sleeping and wouldn't miss you. It shouldn't take long, really, but I do think you should talk with this Animal as soon as possible," the Goat encouraged.

Fiyero sighed. "Alright then. I'd like to try to be back within the hour, though."

Dr. Dillamond nodded his agreement and then led Fiyero through the tunnels until they reached an identical house nearly all the way across the complex. Inside, Dr. Dillamond greeted a Dog, who he introduced as Lionus. Fiyero shook the Dog's paw politely, but noticed right away that Lionus was eyeing him suspiciously. They all took seats in the small living room and Dr. Dillamond encouraged Lionus to share his story with Fiyero. The Dog hesitated briefly, but finally relented.

It didn't take long for Fiyero to understand why Dr. Dillamond had wanted these two to meet. Lionus, as it turned out, came from a country called Aquaria, which was located across the Nonestic Ocean. To Fiyero's knowledge, not a soul in Oz was truly aware of what lay beyond the ocean. Any documents regarding even the ocean itself had likely been removed from libraries and such when the Wizard came to power. In schools, they were often led to believe that the ocean signified the end of the world. According to Lionus, his government recruited people and Animals every few years for missions to travel in various directions across the ocean to foreign countries. They were to study the distant cultures and bring back as much data as possible. Lionus had been recruited to travel in this direction with a human companion. They had ended up in the Dominion of the Nome King. Fiyero was well aware that the Dominion was not such a peaceful place at the time and certainly not a safe place for Animals. He was not surprised to hear that Lionus had been hunted and separated from his companion. He had wandered through the country for days before he came across a Lion who took pity on him and pointed him in the direction of Oz, speaking of an Animal shelter he'd heard of in the Badlands.

When he began to speak more of his home country Aquaria, Fiyero found himself listening intently. Evidently, the country existed both on land and in water, hence its name. There was a community of sea Animals and water-adapted humans that co-existed together in the ocean. There was also a series of tunnels and structures so that land-dwellers could visit as well. What truly interested Fiyero was when Lionus spoke of these water-adapted humans and said they could be easily distinguished because of their aqua-tinted skin tone. Lionus also mentioned that the leadership there, the government who'd sent him on this mission, consisted of a group of individuals, elected by the people of the country. It all sounded truly ideal and Fiyero caught Dr. Dillamond's knowing look as Lionus finished speaking.

"How are you to go back to your country?" Fiyero questioned.

"The ship will repeat the same route, coming back for each of us at a scheduled time. I'm to be picked up back in the Dominion in about twelve weeks. If I miss this ship, there won't be another for over a year," Lionus replied darkly.

Fiyero sighed, running a hand through his hair. He realized that the ship was to return at roughly the same time they had hoped to be departing this shelter, if not a bit early. "What if I said I could help you get back through the Dominion?"

Lionus eyed him warily. "I'd ask you how. And why."

"Well, I grew up in a political family and have traveled to the Dominion many times. I'm well aware of where to go and what to do to keep safe there. As for why… I'd like to possibly gain passage on your ship for my family. We've been looking for a place to relocate for quite a while. My, um, wife has been discriminated against due to her unusual appearance and we have been living our lives in hiding for fear of what the people here might do to her. We're expecting a baby now and we don't want to have to raise a child like that," Fiyero explained.

"How do I know that anything you're telling me is the truth? How do I know that you don't really mean harm to my country?" The Dog questioned suspiciously.

"You don't, really. Not any more than I know you didn't come to Oz with harmful intentions. I suppose we'll just have to get to know each other more before we come to any final decisions," he replied reasonably.

Lionus considered this for a moment, then nodded slowly. "I suppose I can agree to that much, anyway."

"Alright, then. Now that that's settled, I'll leave you to your rest. I know the journey here hasn't been easy." Fiyero stood and Dr. Dillamond quickly followed suit. They both bid their goodbyes to Lionus and set back out into the tunnels.

"He's a bit wary of humans on this side of the ocean right now after what he's been through, but I'm sure he'll come to realize how much the two of you can help each other. He just needs some time," Dr. Dillamond assured Fiyero once they were several tunnels away.

"It would be a large risk for all of us and I certainly welcome the opportunity to learn more about him and his country before anything is finalized. Though it does sound somewhat promising. Thank you for setting this up," Fiyero replied gratefully.

"I'm happy to help. If you don't mind me saying, I've noticed that you've been struggling with your research," the Goat ventured.

Fiyero smiled. "No, I don't mind at all. You're right, Elphaba was the natural researcher, but I just can't bring myself to add that stress back into her life, not with her condition… In fact, I'm not entirely sure I'd like to share this information with her until I feel a little more certain of its outcome."

Dr. Dillamond nodded. "That, of course, is entirely up to you. I'll respect whatever decision you make… Though, of course, she won't be happy to find you've been keeping things from her," he concluded knowingly.

"No, she won't, but it might very well be necessary. There's nothing she can do right now to help and that will only frustrate her, which will put her health even more in jeopardy. I can't have that."

"I understand. I'll keep it quiet. I'll work on setting up another meeting between you and Lionus, possibly tomorrow. The sooner you two come to a decision, the better I think."

They arrived at the door to Fiyero's house and paused briefly. "You're probably right. I can tell Elphaba I'm working in the medical center if need be. Just let me know," Fiyero said.

"Of course. Goodnight," Dr. Dillamond replied kindly. Fiyero echoed the sentiment before making his way inside.

**A/N**: Okay, that's all for now. Coming up next chapter, find out what Fiyero decides to do about telling Elphaba and Lionus has a request that makes Fiyero uneasy. Keep up the reviews and I'll keep up the story haha. Thank guys!


	17. There Are Names

**A/N**: Okay, so this definitely took longer to get out than I intended, I'm sorry. I had a horrific week last week and I've been working a lot this week, but I'm committing to getting some major writing done this weekend so I'll try to be better about updates. Oh and to Elizabeth, thank you for pointing that out to me- I fixed it. I check everything myself before I post it (don't have a beta), so I'm bound to miss something every once in a while. Anyway, it's a little shorter than normal (sorry), but I hope you enjoy it anyway!

* * *

Chapter Seventeen: There Are Names

Fiyero tip-toed through the kitchen, getting a glass of water, before making his way to the bedroom. He was surprised to find Elphaba awake, reclined in a half-sitting position in bed and reading a book. Her free hand was rubbing slow circles over her swollen stomach. She spared him a quick glance as he entered.

"I thought you'd be fast asleep by now," he commented, making his way over to the bed.

"So did I," she replied as he settled next to her. "Your child seems to have other ideas, though. It has a rather bad case of the hiccups and is intent on keeping me up."

Surprise and amusement etched across his features. "Really?"

"What, none of your little pregnancy books mentioned that? Well, luckily, Dr. Matusoff warned me about it, so I wouldn't think there was something wrong if I felt it."

"I had no idea you could get hiccups before you were even breathing. That's incredible," he remarked, smiling.

"To you, maybe. I could be up all night at this rate," she said with an exasperated sigh.

"Well, we can't have that," Fiyero replied as he propped himself on one elbow, shifting onto his stomach so he was level with the swell of hers. He gently lifted her shirt up, exposing the emerald slope of her skin. Amused, she dropped her book and rested her head back against her arm, watching him. His hands rubbed light circles over her abdomen as hers had been doing earlier. After a moment, he began brushing feather light kisses on her skin. When he reached the area near her belly-button, he heard her let out a soft, uncharacteristic giggle. He looked up at her, eyebrows raised.

"What? That tickles," she said defensively, though still smiling.

He chuckled and continued his ministrations for a moment before he rested his head on the peak of her stomach, facing her. "We haven't discussed any names yet," he observed. "Do you think we should?"

She sighed softly. "I suppose we could."

"What about Jareth for a boy? I had a childhood friend by that name and I always liked it," Fiyero suggested.

"Hmm, yeah, it's not bad. I always liked Tarragon. I read it in a book a while back."

"Tarragon… Yeah, I like that. Do you want to name it after someone if it's a girl? Like your mother, or Nessa?" He questioned gently.

"For a middle name, perhaps, but I think it's better to pick a new first name. Sort of a new beginning, I guess," she pondered.

"I think you're right… What do you think of Jessamine?"

She made a face. "Ugh, no. One of my dim-witted neighbors in Munchkinland was called that and it would always make me think of her."

"Fair enough. What about Keilyn? Or Daveny?"

"Those are both interesting. I don't think I've ever heard the name Daveny before," she replied.

"I can't remember where I heard it, but I always thought it was unique."

"I wish I knew the meaning of some of these names. It would be nice to give it a name that has significance in some way."

"I'll talk to Dr. Dillamond, see if he can get his hands on one of those books," he offered. "With his extensive library, he may already have one."

"Maybe," she replied softly and he could tell that she was growing tired. He sat up and pulled her shirt back down before lying beside her again.

"You should try to rest," he suggested.

"I know, it's just every time I feel the baby hiccup, it jerks me from my sleep."

He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close to him and kissing her temple lightly. "I'm sorry. I wish I could take on some of this for you," he told her softly.

She smiled. "Now there's something I'd like to see."

He chuckled. "How about you close your eyes and relax and I'll read to you until the baby settles down?"

"Sounds good," she murmured, closing her eyes and cuddling into his side. He picked up the book from beside her and found her marked page. As he read to her, he realized what a domestic picture they made. They could almost be any expecting couple, preparing for the arrival of their child. He found his mind inadvertently drifting to Aquaria, a place where, if Lionus was to be believed, they could finally blend in and live peaceful lives. It was hard, yet incredible, to imagine a world where he wasn't constantly looking over his shoulder, always fearing the worst. As Elphaba finally drifted off in his arms, he allowed himself to hope that the place they'd spent all this time searching for had finally been given a name.

* * *

Over the next several days, Fiyero spent a fair amount of time meeting with Lionus and learning more about his home country and his journey to Oz. The Dog remained wary of him, always polite but never to the point of being friendly. Fiyero adopted a similar attitude, feeling that the way to win the Dog's trust was not through an unnatural show of kindness. Their meetings were always very professional and Fiyero had gathered a wealth of information about Aquaria. He now knew that they had a trial system for people accused of crimes and no one could be punished until they had been tried. There were no tyrannical leaders to make the citizens hunt down so-called witches for false crimes. He had also learned that there was some documentation of the countries on this side of the Nonestic Ocean, but very little information. Only two ships in Aquaria were built and equipped for such long-distance travel, hence the research missions. He felt confident that no one in Aquaria would be familiar with the Wicked Witch of the West.

Fiyero had shared some of his knowledge of the Dominion with Lionus, but just enough so that the Dog would be certain he could not fare the trip alone. Thus far, he had shared little to no information about his past and his personal life. He was therefore not surprised when the day finally came that Lionus refused to share more information until he got some out of Fiyero. He was particularly interested in why Elphaba and he were hiding out in an Animal shelter in the middle of nowhere. Fiyero, recognizing that supplying the information was necessary to continue this relationship, started to speak.

"As you've gathered, Oz was recently ruled by the Wizard, who had taken it upon himself to try to suppress and silence the Animals. My wife, Elphaba, was set to become his Grand Vizier. She was training at the University when she was summoned to meet him. When she became aware of his actions, she stood up to him. He therefore turned the people of Oz against her, telling them that she was responsible for horrible things. They had followed the Wizard's rule blindly all those years and weren't about to start doubting him then.

"Elphaba had always been something of an outcast, because she has an unusual skin tone, so people were all too anxious to call her evil. She was forced into hiding, hunted, and it was years before I found her again. I ran away with her and, together, we managed to make the people of Oz believe we were dead. We fled across the border to Ev and lived there in secret until our lives were threatened and we were forced to come back to Oz, as this was the only place we believed we could be safe until the baby was born and we were able to travel again. Dr. Dillamond was our professor at Shiz and he and Elphaba were very close. He's been hiding us here for a couple of months now. You see, my wife can't venture out at all, because she would be instantly recognized by her skin. As I mentioned, I came from a political family, so there's a good possibility I could be recognized as well. Ever since we faked our deaths, we've been searching for a place where we could finally stop hiding," Fiyero concluded finally, looking hopefully to the Dog.

Lionus was silent for a moment, processing the large amount of information he'd just been given. "I think it might be time for me to meet your wife."

"Elphaba? I'm not sure that's such a good idea," he replied cautiously.

"Why not?" Lionus questioned.

"Well, she's in something of a delicate condition right now. She's experienced some complications with her pregnancy and she's been ordered to stay in bed and take it easy until the baby comes," he explained.

"Which I'm assuming could be weeks away. Quite frankly, I won't agree to travel with strangers, so I'll need to meet her before I come to any sort of decision," Lionus insisted. He hesitated for a moment, then added in a softer tone, "I'll be sensitive to the situation."

Fiyero was slightly taken aback at the Dog's tone, recognizing the small bit of kindness he had extended. He knew that to refuse Lionus now would only succeed in setting them back. "I'll arrange it," he acquiesced.

"Good. Shall we say tomorrow afternoon?" Lionus asked.

Fiyero hesitated, briefly considering telling the Dog that he needed more time. He had yet to even speak Lionus's name to Elphaba. But he realized that Lionus would only take that as a sign that he had something to hide. Reluctantly, he agreed. They set a time and Fiyero made his way back through the tunnels. Now, he just needed to find a way to tell Elphaba and hopefully come out of the conversation unscathed.

* * *

When Fiyero arrived home, he was surprised to find that Elphaba was not in bed. Glancing across the hall, he noticed that the bathroom door was closed. He went to it and knocked softly to assure himself that everything was okay.

"Fae?" He called softly.

"Yeah? You can come in," she called back. He immediately opened the door and eased inside. He found her lying back in the bathtub, surrounded by bubbles. He couldn't help but smile at the sight.

"If only the people of Oz could see you now," he joked. She gave a small laugh. "I never pictured you as a bubble bath sort of girl."

"Well, I needed to get out of that bed for a while. And Glinda used to tell me how relaxing they were," she replied with a smile. He smiled back, lowering himself to sit on the floor beside the tub so that he was level with her.

"How are you feeling today?" He asked as he often did.

"Much better now. The baby was moving around like crazy, it was making me a little queasy. The warmth seems to have calmed it," she replied.

"Is that normal?" Fiyero questioned, concerned.

"Unfortunately, yes, though more-so lately. He or she seems to have active points every day and then thankfully falls asleep not long after." Fiyero simply nodded, not really knowing what to say and already trying to determine how he was going to broach the subject of Lionus and Aquaria.

"What's up with you?" She asked after a moment and he noticed that she was studying him carefully.

He sighed. "There's something I need to talk to you about. It's nothing bad, don't worry," he added hastily when he saw her face cloud with fear, knowing that was the last thing she needed. "Actually, I think I may have a solid lead on where we can go once the baby's born."

"Really?" She asked, sounding skeptic. "It didn't seem like you were getting very far with the research."

"Well, I was trying," he replied defensively. "But you're right, I wasn't finding much. No, it was actually an Animal that ended up here. Dr. Dillamond introduced us when he realized we may be able to help each other."

"When was this?"

Fiyero winced, knowing she wasn't going to like the answer. "About a week ago."

She stared at him a moment. "And is there a reason I'm only hearing about it now?" She questioned icily.

"I'm sorry, Elphaba. You have to know that I wanted to tell you right away, but I just couldn't justify it. With your condition, I just needed to make sure it was a real possibility before I let you obsess over it like I've been doing." His eyes pleaded with hers for forgiveness.

Finally, she relented with a sigh. "I understand, Fiyero, but I don't appreciate being treated like a porcelain doll. Please don't keep me in the dark."

"I won't, I promise. I'll tell you whatever you want to know," he offered.

"Good. Start at the beginning."

And so he did. He explained everything about Lionus, Aquaria, and the potential journey back. By the time he was finished, she looked deeply contemplative. "How do you know it's for real?" She asked.

"I can't know beyond a shadow of a doubt, but I think his story is legit. He was deeply untrusting of me at first, but we've been meeting and sharing information, feeling each other out I guess. Nothing's been decided yet, but he's asked to meet you."

"He wants the chance to feel me out too?"

"I suppose so. I already explained to him about your pregnancy and the complications. I think he's just looking to make sure that I haven't been feeding him lies this whole time," Fiyero explained.

"If only we had someone to verify the same for him," she muttered.

"Just talk to him for a while. He'll tell you about this place himself. If he's to be trusted, it could really be the answer to our prayers."

Her gaze locked with his. "If you truly think that, of course I'll talk to him."

"Great," Fiyero said, relieved. "Oh, and just one more thing you need to know."

"What?" Elphaba asked warily.

"I may have referred to you as my wife when I was telling Lionus about us. It just seemed easier than explaining our whole complicated situation and I didn't want to give away more information than was necessary," he explained hesitantly.

"Wasn't he ever suspicious to see you don't wear a ring? Won't he notice that I don't have one either?"

Fiyero considered this. "He never seemed to notice. If he did, he probably just assumed that we had to sell them to get by. He knows we've been on the run for a while."

Elphaba sighed. "There are beginning to be too many lies in my life to keep track of."

"Why do you think I'm pushing this?" He asked sincerely. "I want to give you and our child a life where we can all just be ourselves and live our lives as we wish."

She cracked a small smile. "You're right. I want that too, more than anything. Whatever it takes to make that happen, I'll do it."

**A/N**: So obviously, coming up next is Elphaba's meeting with Lionus and his decision. Also, a doctor's check-up yields results that make Elphaba nervous. Please remember to review and I'll try to update soon! Thanks guys!


	18. And She's Chosen to Believe

* * *

**A/N**: Okay, so here's an extra long chapter to reward you for waiting! See, I do my best to make it up to you guys lol. It's been an interesting week and someone just decided to vandalize my car so that was really fun to deal with, especially with it being a holiday weekend. Yikes! But I do get to see Wicked this weekend, so that makes it a little better. And of course your reviews will make it better as well haha. Enjoy the nice long chapter!

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Chapter Eighteen: And She's Chosen to Believe

So the meeting was set. Fiyero found himself in his kitchen the next afternoon, waiting for Lionus to arrive. Right on time, the Dog and Dr. Dillamond breezed in through tunnel system. Fiyero stood and greeted both of them before offering up seats around the table, which both Animals accepted.

"There are just a couple of things I want to explain before I let you in to meet Elphaba. I know I explained some of the complications she's had with her pregnancy. Basically, any stress puts both her and the baby at risk, so I'm going to ask you to remain calm around her and try not to interrogate her too much. And I'm going to be in the room to make sure of this," he explained politely, but firmly.

"Fair enough," the Dog acquiesced, nodding slowly.

"I'll leave you to it then," Dr. Dillamond said suddenly, rising from his chair. "I just wanted to make sure that Lionus found his way here alright. I'll be seeing you both soon I'm sure." Both Fiyero and Lionus thanked him as he proceeded back into the tunnel. They then looked at each other. Fiyero rose from his chair, prompting Lionus to do the same.

"Shall we?" Fiyero asked. Lionus nodded and they began the short journey down the hall. Fiyero knocked lightly on the bedroom door before easing it open. Elphaba was sitting up in bed with a book, which she immediately set down. Their eyes locked and Elphaba saw the unspoken questions in his gaze. She nodded at him, telling him without words that she was ready for this. Fiyero pulled the door open the rest of the way and stepped aside, allowing Lionus to enter.

"You must be Lionus," she said sweetly when she saw their visitor. "I'm Elphaba. It's good to meet you." She gestured to a chair next to the bed.

"It's nice to meet you as well," Lionus replied kindly as he settled himself in the proffered chair. "Your husband speaks of you often."

Fiyero moved to perch on the foot of the bed, careful to keep himself close, but not close enough to seem intrusive and overbearing. He caught a quick look Elphaba shot his way when the Dog uttered the word "husband" and forced himself not to smile.

"Yes, well, unfortunately, I'm still playing a little bit of catch up with this whole thing. I wish this could have all happened in more of a proper setting, but I'm afraid the doctor has ordered me to stay off my feet, as I'm sure Fiyero explained to you."

Fiyero watched the Dog's expression soften and smiled inwardly, knowing that Elphaba had counted on this. "No need to apologize. Health and safety comes first, of course. How far along are you now?"

"Just about thirty-four weeks. Dr. Matusoff doesn't expect me to carry to a full forty, so it's just a bit of a waiting game for now. How has your stay been here so far?"

"Quite comfortable, actually. I owe Dr. Dillamond my deepest gratitude for taking me in and helping me… I have to say, he speaks very highly of you."

Elphaba arched an eyebrow, clearly not expecting this turn in the conversation. "Does he?"

Lionus nodded. "You'll have to forgive me for being a little wary of humans here, especially when I first arrived. My trip through the Dominion was dreadful and unlike anything I would have encountered in my home country. There were several times when I barely managed to escape with my life. I do not know if my companion on this journey was so lucky. After what I'd seen there, I found it hard to believe that a shelter for Animals, such as this one, would allow two local humans to take up residence. I'm sure your husband will tell you how cautious I've been around him." He spared Fiyero a quick glance. "But when I told Dr. Dillamond last night that I would be meeting you today, he told me how you'd saved his life. He said you sacrificed nearly everything you had so that your country could do away with its tyrannical leader and the Animals would gain their rights back. I hope you will forgive me, Fiyero, for not fully believing these stories until they came from Dr. Dillamond, for I can't see that he has anything to gain from telling me these things as you did."

"Your caution is quite understandable," Fiyero replied, accepting the Dog's apology.

Lionus turned back to Elphaba. "I know this may be strange to hear, because you know very little about me, but I now feel that I know a great deal about you. And I truly believe that you would be good for my country. Many parts of Aquaria are in great need of teachers and medical professionals that specialize in the needs of land Animals. Dr. Dillamond has told me of the work you've done here. Perhaps you are exactly what we need."

Elphaba looked slightly taken aback. "I don't know what to say. I'm very glad you feel that way. Fiyero spent some time last night telling me about your country and it does sound like a wonderful place, the kind of place I hope Oz will someday become. Unfortunately, I can't stick around to find out if that will ever happen. We've been okay getting by on very little, living our lives day to day, for a while. But as you can imagine, safety has taken on a new meaning with the beginning of our family." She touched her hand lightly to her stomach. "We need somewhere to settle for good, where we can fade into the crowd and lead normal lives."

"Your husband has told me that your skin-tone is quite unique in this place. I can't say I've ever met a person with your exact coloring either, but it is far less shocking to me because I've spent my life exposed to people in the most varied shades of blue. I cannot assure that you will fade into obscurity there, but you will certainly not stand out as much."

"And what about your ship? Will they allow you to bring foreigners with you?" She questioned.

"It has happened occasionally in the past, typically when people were recruited to come to Aquaria to serve a specific purpose. Given your background, I think we can come up with something."

"So are you saying what I think you're saying? Are you officially extending an offer to bring us back to your country?" Fiyero questioned hopefully.

"Yes, I suppose I am. That is, if your offer still stands to help me get safely back to the ship," Lionus replied.

Fiyero's jaw nearly dropped. It had taken Elphaba (and Dr. Dillamond, he supposed) less than a day to accomplish what he had been working toward for over a week. "Of course the offer still stands. We will have to be especially cautious traveling with a newborn, though."

"The more cautious, the better, as far as I'm concerned," the Dog replied.

"It's going to take a good deal of planning to ensure we get to the ship on time but to spend as little time in the Dominion as possible."

"Well, it's a good thing we've reached an agreement then. We can get started right away. The ship departs in a little more than two months time. That should be enough time for the two of us to come up with a plan and for you," he added, turning to Elphaba, "to have that baby of yours and make sure you're both healthy and strong enough for the journey."

"Thank you, Lionus. You may very well be saving our lives," Elphaba said sincerely.

"And you may very well be saving mine. I guess it's a good thing we found each other when we did, huh?"

Lionus looked to Fiyero and held out his paw. Fiyero smiled and shook it readily.

* * *

Over the next two weeks, Fiyero and Lionus spent a good deal of time pouring through maps and books about the Dominion, trying to come up with the safest route to the ship. They, of course, did most of this research in Fiyero's house so that he would never be too far from Elphaba. They had begun making a list of supplies they would need and Dr. Dillamond, who was delighted they had finalized this agreement at last and assured them that he would help them attain whatever they needed. Fiyero was surprised to find how easily it was to work with Lionus now that they had a common goal in mind.

Elphaba had offered to help, trying to assure Fiyero that it wouldn't cause her any additional stress. She was more alert since the doctor had taken her completely off the muscle relaxants now that she'd safely made it past thirty-four weeks. This was a relief at first, but it also seemed to make Elphaba grow more restless, since she no longer slept most of the day away. Fiyero gave her things to look up occasionally and was always sure to keep her updated on their progress, but he knew how Elphaba got with her missions. He didn't want to risk that intensity harming her or the baby.

Dr. Matusoff came for a check up one night, right after Elphaba had reached the thirty-six week mark, which meant the baby would no longer be dangerously premature. Fiyero had stayed to listen to the heartbeat once more, but had allowed Elphaba some privacy when the doctor insisted on checking her cervix. When he was summoned back into the room, Elphaba was sitting in bed and he noticed a tenseness in the way she was holding herself. He was beside her instantly, his hand rubbing slow circles on her back, afraid that something was wrong.

Before he could ask, Dr. Matusoff spoke up. "I was just telling Elphaba that she's already dilated a couple of centimeters, which means she's getting very close to delivering. I'd like to get her moved back into the medical wing for the time being, just so we can monitor her carefully. It's late now, but perhaps tomorrow you could help her settle in?"

"Of course," Fiyero replied.

"Good," the doctor said before averting his gaze back to Elphaba. "You'll be meeting that little one before you know it." He smiled at her and she gave what Fiyero noticed was a very forced smile in return. Fiyero thanked him and was relieved when the Goat offered to show himself out. As soon as he heard the door to the tunnel close, he turned to Elphaba.

"Spill," he said simply.

She looked at him, confused. "What do you mean?"

"I can tell something's up, Fae. Talk to me," he urged gently, his hand still warm against her back as he perched on the edge of the bed.

"It's nothing, Fiyero, really. Just normal pre-delivery jitters, I'm sure. It's silly," she replied dismissively.

"It's not," he assured her. "Especially since you haven't had the easiest pregnancy. Truth be told, I'm a little worried too. But I'm also so anxious to meet this baby that I'm nearly jumping out of my skin." He smiled at her.

"I am, too. And Oz knows I'm excited to finally be able to move around again. I just can't help thinking…" She trailed off hesitantly.

"What?"

She looked down at her lap. "I could barely manage to care for this baby when it was in utero. How am I going to manage when it's actually here, living and breathing? When we're trekking through the Dominion or settling into a country we've never even seen before?"

"Well, first of all, you've done a fine job of caring for the baby till now. It's not your fault that there were complications, but you forced yourself to stay in bed for weeks now to make sure the baby wouldn't come too early and we both know that wasn't easy for you. Second, you won't have to carry this burden alone anymore once the baby comes. When he or she is here, you finally get to share this responsibility with me. We've managed to figure out every other challenge we've come across so far. We'll figure this out, too." He leaned down and pressed his lips against her forehead in a comforting gesture.

"Logically, I realize all of that. It's just… a bit overwhelming I guess," she said with a sigh.

"I know it is. Just think, the next time you sleep in this bed after tonight, we'll have a son or daughter." She couldn't help but smile at the awe in his voice.

"Well then maybe you should join me in the bed so we can enjoy the last bit of peace and quiet we may have for a while," she joked. He wasted no time in kicking off his shoes and climbing onto the other side of the bed. He moved close to her and pulled her against his side, one arm going around her shoulder and the other draping lightly over her stomach, his hand resting on its peak. She snuggled her face into his neck and sighed contentedly.

"We still haven't come up with a name," she reminded him softly.

"No, we haven't. I was going to see if we could get our hands on some kind of book, but I got totally side-tracked on working out this thing with Lionus."

"Maybe we will just know, when he or she is here. Maybe we don't need to plan. We ended up here on a last minute decision and it's worked out pretty well," she pondered.

"That's true. I'll ask Dr. Dillamond about the book, though, just in case. We can have it on hand."

"Sounds good." They fell into a comfortable silence for a moment before she groaned sleepily. "It's kicking again. Do you feel it?" She asked, already taking his hand in hers and relocating it slightly.

"Now I do," he replied, smiling. Slowly, he sat up and bent over so that his face was level with her belly. "I'll be holding you soon, little one," he said softly, his hand rubbing lightly over the spot where the baby continued to kick. Elphaba smiled and reached down to run her fingers through his hair. "Now how about you give your mom a break so she can get some rest?"

Elphaba chuckled for a moment, but stopped abruptly when the baby seemed to settle. "Wow, I think it worked. I guess we know who will be laying out the rules in a couple of years."

He laughed. "I can't even think that far ahead." He straightened out and laid back, cuddling close to her once again. He turned his head so that he could look at her for a moment and saw that her lids were drooping and the tension she'd had moments ago in her jaw had totally relaxed. She looked almost vulnerable. He felt his lips drawn to hers of their own accord and soon found himself kissing her deeply. When he drew away, he noticed a small smile played at her lips.

"What was that for?" She asked softly.

"I was just thinking about how much I love you," he replied lightly, but sincerely. He brushed a gentle kiss across her forehead. "Now get some rest. You're going to need it."

She wrinkled her nose at him before he turned to shut the light off. When he lay back down, she nuzzled her face again into his neck. "Fiyero?" She murmured, eyes already closed.

"Yeah?"

"I love you too."

He smiled, though she couldn't see it. "I know."

* * *

The next morning, Fiyero let Elphaba sleep in while he packed a small bag for her to take to the medical center. He woke her up with a tray of hot breakfast and she smiled, telling him that he was spoiling her, though she didn't sound too displeased. He helped her out of bed so she could bathe quickly before heading off. As they set out for the tunnels, Fiyero couldn't help but notice how differently she moved now. Before, her steps had always been quick and deliberate, graceful even. Now, she moved awkwardly, cautiously. Having spent so much time in bed, she was unaccustomed to the changes her body had undergone. He stayed close to her the whole time, knowing that she needed to do this on her own, but always ready to reach out a helping hand if needed.

He was relieved when they made it to the center, though noticed that Elphaba seemed a little out of breath from the walk. He helped her into bed quickly so that she could relax, which he knew was still essential, even though they were no longer trying to prevent the contractions from starting. Dr. Matusoff came and greeted them, performing a cursory check-up on Elphaba and pronouncing everything normal. Chistery came for a visit at one point in the afternoon, having moved out of the medical center a week previously now that his wing was nearly healed. He'd seemed very worried and Elphaba had to explain to him in simple words that she was not sick and simply there to prepare for the birth of her child.

Over the next two days, Dr. Dillamond had managed to secure several necessary items for them, which Fiyero could hardly believe they had overlooked. He delivered a package of bottles, cloth diapers, and a few small items of clothing that Martha had sewn together. The next day, he arrived with the Animals Elphaba had been helping previously. They had all come together to build a small bassinet, which they presented to her. Both Elphaba and Fiyero were overcome with gratitude, thanking them profusely. Dr. Dillamond brushed off their thanks, asking if there was anything else they needed. Fiyero reluctantly mentioned the book, feeling slightly guilty about asking anything more of him, but the Goat assured him it was no trouble. He said he may even have a book of name origins and meanings in his personal library and told them he'd go through it soon.

When Fiyero wasn't visiting Elphaba or sleeping, he was working with Lionus. He told himself that it would be best to get as much of their plan worked out as possible before the baby came. They were definitely making headway, having mapped out several possible routes to the ship. Dr. Dillamond was working on securing them camping supplies at the moment so that they wouldn't have to risk staying in motels or shelters. The weather would be warm and there were many wooded areas in the Dominion that they could be relatively safe in for short periods of time. It was beginning to feel like less of an impossible feat every day.

When Elphaba reached thirty-seven weeks and still hadn't gone into labor, Dr. Matusoff allowed her to get up and move around a bit. He explained that the only significant health risk now that the baby was essentially full-term was to Elphaba, due to her high blood pressure. It was in her best interest for the baby to come as soon as possible, though it was better if she went into labor naturally. So she began taking short walks every day, usually when Fiyero visited. It was during one of these walks when she grew a little too serious for Fiyero's liking.

They were walking along the tunnels surrounding the medical center, which were utterly deserted. He'd been filling her in on the latest developments he and Lionus had made before they fell into a comfortable silence.

"I think we need to discuss something," she said suddenly.

"What would that be?"

"You're not going to like it," she cautioned.

"That's never stopped you before," he teased, but noticed instantly that she didn't smile. They both stopped walking at once and he saw her lean slightly against the tunnel wall behind her.

"I know that I'm not supposed to be worrying about it, and I'm not really, but the fact remains that something could go wrong with this delivery-"

"Elphaba-" he interjected, shaking his head vehemently.

"No, Fiyero, let me finish. I'm sure that everything is going to be fine. I know that I'm in good hands and that the odds are in my favor. I promise, for once in my life I have a positive outlook on the situation." She smiled wryly, but quickly grew serious again. "But as strange as this sounds, I will feel even calmer if I'm sure that there's a plan in place on the off-chance that things don't work out the way they should."

He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself. "Go on," he said reluctantly.

"I just need to know that if there are complications and if something happens to me, that the two of you will be safe, no matter what." He was surprised at how clear and determined her voice was when discussing such a serious matter.

"Nothing's going to happen to you, Elphaba. I won't let it," he rasped out, suddenly unable to look at her. He turned his back on her and for a moment, the tunnel was so quiet that all he could hear was his own heart, pounding in his ears.

He jumped slightly when he felt her small hand on his back. "I wish we didn't have to do this, believe me. But the doctor has been honest with me. I know that I'll be at the biggest risk during delivery. If I can make it through that without my blood pressure getting too high, it should be smooth sailing from there on. And I plan on making it through with flying colors, but I love you and this baby too much not to make sure you'll be okay, with or without me," she explained softly.

He let out a deep sigh and turned to face her again. "What are you saying exactly?"

"That if I don't make it or if I end up too sick to travel, you'll go to Aquaria without me," she stated simply.

He shook his head slowly. "I know that this is something you need to do, Fae, but I can only meet you halfway with this one. If you… don't make it… I'll go. But if you end up sick with any chance at all of recovering, I'm staying right here. The baby and I will both be better off with you, even if we have to risk being here for a while longer. We'll wait for you and we'll find somewhere else once you're better. That's all I can promise you." He reached out and brushed the back of his hand lightly over her cheekbone.

She sighed softly. "I suppose that'll have to be enough."

"Good. And that's the last I want to hear about it, okay? We're all going to be just fine," he said firmly. The person she'd once been would have chastised him for being in denial, but, as she saw the desperation filling his eyes, she realized she was no longer that person. Too much had changed. So she would follow him in his blind faith, let it guide her through this.

She smiled up at him and nodded, giving him the reassurance he needed.

* * *

**A/N**: Next chapter, well, the beginning of something major. Who wants to read it? You know what to do ;). Have a good long weekend everyone!


	19. Her Bougainvillea Blooms

**A/N**: Okay okay here it is, finally! Sorry, it's been a crazy time and I've been working a lot. I haven't had a lot of time to write either, so I can't guarantee that the next couple of updates will be terribly fast, but I'll do my best, I promise. Also, for those of you who asked, I saw Wicked in San Francisco and I saw the stand-by for Glinda (Natalie) and a temporary standby for Elphaba- Dee Roscioli from the Chicago production. It was definitely one of the most interesting shows I've seen lol. Okay, enough of that- on with the story!

* * *

Chapter Nineteen: Her Bougainvillea Blooms

True to her word, Elphaba never brought up the dark topic again and, much like after she'd found out the Wizard was her true father, they went on as if they conversation had never happened. It lingered on the edges of their words, hovered in their eyes when they looked at each other, but their conversations now were entirely positive. Dr. Matusoff continued to do daily check-ups on Elphaba and everything continued to be normal. It wasn't long before the heaviness faded from the air and turned to anticipation. Every time she reacted to the baby moving or kicking, Fiyero froze, wondering if they were signs her labor was starting. Elphaba remained surprisingly calm and poised during the next several days. It was almost as if she'd found some sort of peace after he'd made that promise to her. Like she had accepted that whatever happened would happen regardless of their worry and their plans. So she simply waited.

One night, about five days after the talk they'd had in the tunnel, Fiyero found himself jolted from his sleep. It took a few seconds for his eyes to adjust in the dim light, but once they did, he saw Martha bending over his bed. He glanced at the clock, seeing it was nearly one in the morning. He sat up quickly, still half-asleep and a bit confused.

"What's going on?"

"Forgive me for letting myself in, but you didn't seem to hear me knocking. Dr. Matusoff told me to come fetch you. It seems your dear Miss Elphaba has gone into labor," she explained calmly.

Fiyero was instantly awake, a surge of adrenaline coursing through his veins. He was off the bed and pulling on proper clothes before his brain could even register the movement. "Is she okay?" He asked anxiously as he buttoned his shirt.

"Yes, she seems to be just fine, aside from the obvious pain of course," she replied with an indulgent smile. "If you'll excuse me, I'm going to grab a bit of sleep, but I've assured Dr. Matusoff I'll be there should he need any help during the delivery, so I'll be seeing you soon."

"Of course, thank you for letting me know."

"Ah well she was telling us not to wake you just yet, but I knew you'd want to be there with her."

Fiyero chuckled as he pulled on his shoes. "That sounds like her. But you did the right thing, thank you again."

"Not at all. Good luck," she said, giving him a small pat on the shoulder before heading back out to the tunnels.

Fiyero glanced around the room frantically, trying to sort through the rapid thoughts flying through his hazy brain to remember if there was anything he needed to bring with him. Deciding he could come back for something if need be, he quickly set off for the medical center. After a few tunnels, he reached his destination, the fluorescent light assaulting his senses as soon as he entered. Without pausing, he made his way to the bed he knew to be Elphaba's. Like they were on most nights, the curtains around the bed were drawn and he cautiously pulled one aside, not wanting to startle her.

She was sitting up, the bed and pillows adjusted to support her back. Her hair was pulled into a loose ponytail. He was surprised to see how relaxed she looked. As soon as she saw him, she rolled her eyes.

"I knew she wouldn't listen. I told her to let you sleep," she said with an exasperated sigh.

He smiled as he pulled a chair close to her bed and dropped into it, reaching out to take her hand in his. "Well, luckily, they know you well enough by now to know to ignore you. How are you doing?"

"I'm okay. The contractions aren't too intense yet and they're still pretty far apart. Dr. Matusoff says it'll probably be a while. So if you want to go back and grab some sleep, you should. You might need it for later," she offered.

"Not a chance in hell. Nice try, though. If you can do without the sleep, I certainly can too."

"Yes, but I had a nice long nap earlier and I'm guessing you didn't."

"I'll be fine, Elphaba. It's not me I want you worrying about right now," he told her, deliberately keeping his tone light.

"Well I don't want you obsessing over me either. I can handle the pain," she assured him.

"Oh, I have no doubt. I just want to be here with you," he said sincerely.

"Well, alright. I suppose you can serve some purpose," she conceded.

"Oh can I?"

"Yes, for starters, you can go get me some ice from the freezer. Evidently, I'm not supposed to drink any liquids for some reason."

"It's because you're more likely to aspirate-"

She immediately cut him off. "Oh Fiyero, don't make me kick you out before we've even really gotten started."

He chuckled, but wisely shut his mouth and set out in search of some ice. When he returned, he saw that she was clearly in the midst of a contraction. He hurried over to her and laid a hand across her back, rubbing soothing circles until the pain subsided. She took a few deep breaths and then took the cup of ice from him, chewing on a cube. He settled again in the chair beside the bed. He took a moment to study her, but she soon noticed his scrutiny.

"What?"

"Oh, nothing. I was just noticing how calm you are," he observed.

"Well, there's not much of a point in going crazy. It would only make things worse," she replied.

"You've certainly come a long way from the woman who used to bite my head off at any mention of this baby," he told her with a smile.

"Yes, well I may have been dragged along kicking and screaming for most of this, but I feel like I may finally be ready for it. As ready as I can be anyway," she admitted softly.

"Wow, I'm impressed. They haven't been medicating you, have they?" He teased. She laughed and reached over to hit him playfully on the shoulder.

"You're supposed to be nice to me, you know. I'm about to give you a child," she reminded him.

He smiled, catching her hand in his and bringing her fingers to his lips. "I know."

"Well, looks like things are going well in here," a voice said suddenly, causing them both to turn and see Dr. Matusoff entering through the curtains. "I see that Martha did not take Miss Elphaba's advice in letting you sleep."

"No, she knew better than that," Fiyero replied with a smile.

"Well, as I told Miss Elphaba earlier, first time labor can often last twelve hours or more, so we likely have a ways to go." He turned to Elphaba. "I'd like to give you a quick check-up, see what kind of progress you've made so far."

Elphaba nodded her permission and Fiyero hesitated on the spot, unsure of what to do. "Do you want me to leave for a minute?" He asked Elphaba softly.

She considered this briefly and then let out a sigh. "No, you can stay. Just stay up here please."

"Will do," he assured her as she positioned herself for examination. He felt her tense slightly as the doctor's tools probed inside of her and he gripped her hand tightly in support. Thankfully, it was over rather quickly and Dr. Matusoff was soon pulling the blankets back down over Elphaba's legs.

"You're about three centimeters dilated. It may not seem like much, but you're getting there. And everything looks great so far. Now that Fiyero's here, he can actually help you around if you want to get up and take a short walk or what not. It may help speed the process along. But nothing overly strenuous obviously, since we want to keep your pressure down. I'll be back to check on you once an hour or so. In the meantime, just try to take it easy." He smiled reassuringly at them as he exited.

Just as he was leaving, Fiyero felt Elphaba grip his hand like a vice and turned to see her in the midst of a contraction. It was going to be a long night.

* * *

By the time the sun rose, Elphaba's contractions were coming less than ten minutes apart. During the night, Fiyero had helped her around the medical center for a walk and to the bathroom several times, which had succeeded in getting her dilated to a whopping four centimeters. It seemed that neither of them were allowing themselves to utter one word about how slowly her labor was progressing, though he knew they were both thinking it.

He had gone back to the house at one point to grab a few books and was now reading one aloud to her to help her relax, though he had to pause every nine minutes or so to wait out a contraction. Dr. Matusoff had allowed her to drink some water and have some food after he saw how slowly she was progressing and knew it would likely be out of her system by the time she delivered. He said it was important for her to keep her energy up. She was now snacking on some grapes and trying to focus on Fiyero's voice.

Fiyero glanced up at her briefly as he read and noticed her hand had snaked behind her back, rubbing over what he knew was a spot that had given her trouble over the months. He quieted suddenly and lowered the book. She hardly seemed to notice.

"You could've told me your back was bothering you."

She looked up at him. "You were doing so well with that story," she told him with a small smile.

"Which I can see you were clearly paying attention to," he teased.

"Forgive me if I'm slightly distracted," she replied, her voice dripping in sarcasm.

He laughed and rose from his chair. "Just scoot forward and let me work on it."

She obeyed, moving slightly toward the foot of the bed so that he could climb on behind her. He moved so that she was sitting between his legs and immediately began working on the muscles of her lower back. She moaned and leaned back into his hands slightly, indicating that he had found the right spot. He slowly kissed up the column of her neck as he continued to knead her muscles.

"I can't believe we're finally here," he whispered into her ear.

"Finally is right. I feel like I've been pregnant for about ten years."

He couldn't help but laugh. "So I guess I won't be talking you into another one of these anytime soon."

She twisted her head around to glare at him. "You really want to talk about that right now? I might have to hurt you," she warned in a low voice.

He laughed again and took advantage of her angle to kiss her gently. He wrapped his arms around her and rested his hands over her belly. "Maybe I'll wait a few years to bring it up again."

Elphaba was about to respond when another contraction hit her. "Hold that thought," she muttered through clenched teeth as she worked on breathing through the pain. Fiyero was surprised to feel how her stomach suddenly felt hardened and all of her muscles seemed to tense. When it was over, she sagged back against him and he held her close.

"How bad is it? The pain?" He asked softly.

She sighed. "It's certainly not pleasant, but it's not the worst pain I've ever felt. Not yet, anyway. I hear it's only supposed to get worse."

"Well you're doing great so far," he said encouragingly as he brushed his lips across her cheek.

She was silent for a moment. "When we were in Ev, before I told you I was pregnant, did you imagine that we'd be here someday? Did you envision this for us?"

"Absolutely. I always knew I wanted to have kids someday and when we were finally together, I knew that there was no one else I'd ever want to start a family with… I had this dream once, when I was recovering from my leg injury, where I was standing in a doorway watching you read our child to sleep. I remember waking up feeling so contented," he told her.

"What was it in your dream? A boy or a girl?" She questioned curiously.

"A boy. But like I said, it doesn't matter to me," he replied.

"I've had a couple of similar dreams since I've been pregnant. I don't know why, but in mine, it was always a girl."

He smiled. "That almost sounds like a bet."

She twisted again to look at him and he saw that a mischievous smile played at her lips as well. "You're on."

"What do I win if I'm right?" Fiyero questioned.

"Hmm, how about loser has to change all the diapers for the first week?" She suggested.

He laughed. "You're already thinking like a mother. Okay, deal. But you have to promise me this won't make you disappointed if it's a boy."

Her smile softened as she looked back at him. "Like I would be disappointed in having your son."

He returned her smile and leaned down to kiss her again, deeper this time. "Only you would be making bets while you're in labor," he teased when they broke apart.

She shrugged. "What can I say? I'm not your average woman."

"No, you're certainly not."

It was nearly afternoon when Dr. Matusoff announced to them that she still hadn't dilated much more and he was willing to give Elphaba a numbing drug so that she could sleep for a while, knowing that she would need the energy later. He assured them that the delivery was still pretty far off and the drug was mild. It was to be injected straight into her spine, would not involve her possibly weakened kidneys, and would likely only last for a few hours. Elphaba was hesitant, but Fiyero encouraged her to take it, knowing that she was in desperate need of some rest. The contractions were slowly growing in intensity and he could see her exhaustion setting in between each one. When she finally relented, Dr. Matusoff wasted no time in readying the medication.

He had Elphaba shift onto her side right after a contraction had passed and Fiyero tried not to look too shocked when he saw the size of the needle that he was about to inject into her spine. He forced himself to focus purely on her face, mumbling words of comfort she didn't look like she much needed, but it made him feel better anyway. She hardly flinched when the needle pierced her skin. He guessed it didn't quite compare to all the pain she'd felt already that day. Dr. Matusoff removed the needle slowly when the fluid had been fully injected and Elphaba shifted onto her back again. Assuring them that the drug should take effect quickly, he made his exit.

Fiyero reached out and brushed a piece of hair behind Elphaba's ear, his fingers lingering on her face. "Why don't you close your eyes for a while?" He suggested.

"You should get some rest too. I know you hardly got any sleep before this whole thing started."

"I'll try to grab a nap once you're asleep," he assured her.

Appeased, she nodded and allowed her eyes to slip shut. "Would you read for a bit more? It might help me drift off," she requested.

"Of course." He picked up the book and began reading where he'd left off. He watched her carefully as he read and after about twenty minutes, he knew she was fast asleep. He knew he should take the opportunity to get some rest as well, but he suddenly found himself unable to take his eyes off of her. He couldn't imagine loving or admiring her any more than he did at that moment, watching her battle through this to bring their child into the world.

He wasn't sure how long he'd been watching her sleep when Dr. Matusoff once again made his way into the curtained area.

"Ah, good, the medication seems to have worked," he said softly as he observed Elphaba's slumber.

"Yeah she passed out pretty quickly," Fiyero replied.

"Yes well it can certainly be a tiring process. She seems to be doing well, though. I haven't seen any obvious signs of an elevated blood pressure and her spirits seem to be up, which is important. Aside from the fact that she's having a slow labor, I have every hope that everything will be perfectly standard."

"Good," he said, relieved. "It's hard enough watching her in pain. I'm not sure how much more either of us could take."

"Well, prepare yourself, because the transitioning phase, which is right before she'll start to push, can be quite difficult. The contractions will be strong and very close together, so she won't have much time to recover in between. She's going to need a lot of support then, so make sure you keep your strength up. Let me know when she's awake and I'll bring you a warm compress for her back, which will hopefully help to ease some of the pain during contractions."

Fiyero nodded. "Okay, thanks."

Dr. Matusoff laid a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "Don't worry, it'll be over before you know it."

Once the Goat had left, Fiyero returned his gaze to Elphaba. Careful not to wake her, he reached out and gently laid a hand over her stomach. After a moment, he felt the hardening sensation that told him she was having a contraction. His hand remained there for a while, feeling the pressure she was now numb to. He knew that with every contraction, his child was being pushed closer and closer to them. Within hours, he would be holding it in his arms. The very thought sent a wave of excitement and fear through his entire body and he knew that attempting to sleep would be futile.

* * *

**A/N**: So the labor was so long I had to split it into two chapters and this was the best place I could find to leave off. Like I said, I'll do my best to get the next part up as soon as I can. Also, for those of you who have been through pregnancy and might think "that doesn't sound like a traditional epidural," it's not supposed to be. In my mind, medicine is not only less advanced in this part of Oz but also just slightly different from traditional medicine. The Animal shelter obviously wouldn't have the equipment or staff for an actual epidural, so this is my simpler version. Hopefully that makes sense. I grew up in a family of OBGYNs and I do a good deal of research, so I'm not trying to take the easy way out, this is just how I see it. Ok that is all. Reviews are much appreciated, as always! Especially since I have a long and miserable day of work ahead of me on very little sleep lol.


	20. Night She Waits

**A/N**: Sorry guys, I warned you it might be a little while. But I am going to try to get the next one out much quicker. For those of you who asked, I'll just elaborate to say that I called Dee "interesting" because the performance was a little all over the place. She forgot lyrics and deadpanned important lines, but some of her numbers were absolutely extraordinary. It was a truly unique show haha. Feel free to PM me if you want to know anything further. Oh, and for any of you who care, this story is becoming longer than I anticipated so the chapter titles will now include lyrics from a few other Iron & Wine songs as well, not just "Passing Afternoon." And now, onto the story!

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Chapter Twenty: Night She Waits

He left her side only briefly during the hours she slept to get something to eat, remembering Dr. Matusoff's advice to keep his strength up. At one point, he attempted to read, but his lack of focus forced him to give up rather quickly. He settled again for watching Elphaba sleep, trying to memorize the peaceful look on her face that he knew would fade away all too soon.

It was late afternoon when her eyelids fluttered and then slowly opened, immediately finding him next to her. He gave her a bright smile.

"Hey," he said softly.

"Hey," she murmured back, blinking a few times. "You didn't close your eyes at all, did you?"

"Don't worry about me."

She shook her head and yawned. "How long was I out?"

He glanced at the clock on the wall. "Three hours or so. You want to try to get a few more in?"

"No, I can feel the drugs starting to wear off already. My back's starting to ache again," she replied.

"Let me go get Dr. Matusoff real quick. He wanted to check on you when you were awake and he said something about a hot compress for your back," Fiyero told her, rising from his chair.

He went and found the Goat quickly, following him as he retrieved what looked like a rubber bag and filled it with hot water from the tap before sealing it with a cap. They made their way back to Elphaba, who was now sitting and pulling her hair into a loose braid. The doctor greeted her and positioned himself to examine her again. Fiyero took his spot next to her, gripping her hand in his. When he was finished, Dr. Matusoff told her that she'd finally reached five centimeters and was in what was called the active stage of labor, which meant things should start to speed up. He gave her the hot compress, which Fiyero helped position behind her back, and then left them alone once again.

"Well at least you're halfway there," Fiyero reasoned.

"Yes, but I was already two centimeters dilated before I actually went into labor," she reminded him.

"Right. Have I mentioned that you're doing amazing?" He asked with a small, hopeful smile.

She returned his smile with one of her own. "It's okay, Fiyero. I can handle it. I wouldn't expect anything less than a long and exhausting labor after what this pregnancy has already put me through," she told him with a hint of sarcasm.

"Maybe the baby will make it up to us by being one of those rare children who actually sleeps through the night," he ventured.

"I won't be getting my hopes up," she replied. He laughed softly and they fell into a brief silence. He refilled the cup on her nightstand with water and noticed that her eyes had gone slightly glazed.

"What are you thinking about?" He asked softly.

She looked up at him, contemplating him for a moment. "Honestly? I was thinking about my mother."

"Your mother?" He questioned, surprised.

"Yes. You know, this was the last thing she ever experienced in life."

Realization hit him suddenly and he cursed himself for not remembering earlier that her mother had died giving birth to Nessarose. It seemed so clear then why she'd always said she feared the birth of the child. Most women feared the pain, but he knew that hardly mattered to Elphaba. It occurred to him then that childbirth had never been a joyous occasion in her family as it should have been. She had been rejected outright because of her strange skin tone and her sister had not only been born handicapped, but her mother had not even survived the birth. Elphaba's pregnancy had hardly been a normal low-risk experience and he could hardly blame her for being afraid.

"Fae…" He trailed off, uncertain of what to say.

"I know what you're thinking, but I didn't mean it like that. I'm not sitting here pondering if I'll meet the same fate as my mother. I'm just wondering what those hours were like for her: if it was painful, if she was excited, if she was afraid. And I'm hoping she got a glimpse of Nessa and her beautiful complexion before she fell unconscious," she explained.

"You're still worried about the baby being green, aren't you?" Fiyero implored knowingly.

She sighed. "I realize now that it's not the worst that can happen. When I went into pre-term labor, I was so worried about losing it that I told myself nothing else mattered. It's just… I know the pain that comes with being different. I would never wish that on someone I love."

"Well, I suppose any mother just wants to protect their child from the world. We just have to be prepared to deal with whatever comes. And I'm hoping Aquaria will be the right place to do that," he reasoned.

"Oh Oz, aren't you supposed to meet with Lionus this afternoon? He'll wonder where you are," Elphaba remembered suddenly.

"I'm sure Dr. Dillamond will explain to him, don't worry."

"Are you sure? Because I can manage by myself for a while, really," she insisted.

"Elphaba, I'm not leaving. There will be plenty of time to meet with Lionus later. Right now, this is the only place I want to be," he told her, reaching out to take her hand in his. She laced her fingers through his, secretly grateful for his insistence to stay.

The medication continued to wear off over the next hour until Elphaba was once again feeling the full force of her contractions. By the time the sun set, they were roughly six minutes apart. Martha kindly brought them some food around dinnertime and, though Elphaba was beyond the point of being able to force anything down, Fiyero wisely ate as much as he could, hoping it would fuel him through what looked to be another sleepless night.

He wasn't sure exactly when he began to see Elphaba's calm exterior slipping, but by midnight, he could clearly see that she was struggling. He could only imagine how tired and anxious she was. And he knew that being in that much pain for almost twenty-four hours could put anyone a little on edge. He attempted to entertain her in any way he could think of. For a while he suggested the most ridiculous names he could come up with for the baby, which succeeded in making her laugh and throw in a few of her own. When that got old, he attempted to read to her again, but the contractions were coming too fast now to keep up with the story.

When she crossed the twenty-four hour mark, she was hardly speaking between contractions anymore, though her moans of pain had certainly gotten louder. After a particularly bad one, she sagged against the pillows and he saw a tear slip from the corner of her still-closed eyes. Fiyero felt something break inside of him and before he knew what he was doing, he found himself climbing onto the bed behind her and holding her tightly against him. He wiped the tear away from her face and dropped several kisses to her hairline. They remained like this for the next hour, Fiyero supporting her both physically and emotionally through each contraction. She was dozing between them now, lacking the energy to manage much else. While she drifted off in his arms, Fiyero would gently wipe the sweat from her brow and run his fingers through her hair until she would be thrown back to consciousness with the force of another contraction.

Dr. Matusoff found them like this when he came in to check on Elphaba. She was in the middle of a contraction and he waited patiently, a sympathetic smile on his face when she was finished.

"Almost twenty-six hours. You're a warrior, Miss Elphaba," he told her. "Let's check on your progress before another contraction hits, shall we?"

Without a word, she positioned herself for the examination. Fiyero didn't bother moving, afraid she may not even be able to keep herself sitting upright without his support. Dr. Matusoff went about his work quickly, well aware of how worn out his patient was. He signaled that he was finished and Fiyero guided her to lie back again.

"Well, the good news is that you're at eight centimeters. The bad news is that you're entering the transitioning phase, which is the quickest phase, but also the most painful. The contractions are going to be coming pretty fast for the rest of your labor, but you should be pushing in a couple of hours. Think you can make it?"

Elphaba didn't waste any energy responding verbally, but Fiyero could see the determination burning in her tired eyes as she nodded at the doctor. Appeased, he patted her leg consolingly and left. Fiyero immediately tightened his hold on her and pressed his lips to the crown of her head. Before he could say anything, he felt her body tense as another contraction took hold of her. By this time, he knew exactly how long the contractions were lasting and had started timing them so he could tell her when she was half-way done, almost there, and finally felt her sag with relief as the pain died away.

"You're almost there, Fae," he said encouragingly.

"I don't think I've ever been this exhausted," she replied breathlessly.

"Once this is over, you can take the longest nap of your life."

She sighed. "I just don't know how I'm ever going to find the energy to push this thing out of me."

"You'll find it," he assured her. "I have no doubt."

"If you had any idea what this felt like, you might have some doubts," she muttered.

His arms tightened around her suddenly. "If I could take the pain on myself, I would," he told her softly.

She snuggled into him and rested a hand on top of his. "I know you would. It does help having you here, even if I act like it doesn't."

"If there's anything I can do to make this easier for you…"

"Just keep reminding me why I'm doing this. Because when the pain starts to frustrate me, all I can think of are dirty diapers and piercing cries waking me in the middle of the night."

"That I can do," he said with a small smile. "Just think about all the nights you'll sing the baby to sleep with your beautiful voice and you'll just get to sit and watch its little eyelids droop shut."

She sighed again, allowing her own eyes to slip shut. "That doesn't sound too bad," she murmured sleepily.

"Think about when he or she starts laughing for the first time and how infectious and wonderful that little sound will be. Think about how much fun you'll have someday-" he broke off immediately when another contraction hit her. He talked her through it and then continued seamlessly when it was over, "when you finally get to teach him or her to read. Before you know it, the two of you will be having philosophical discussions about something or other and I'll hardly be able to keep up with you both."

"We'll try to keep things at your level," she murmured, rewarding him with a small smile.

He continued to talk of things like sledding in the snow, schoolwork, and camping trips as her contractions continued to grow in intensity. They felt like they were practically on top of each other now and her body had begun to tremble slightly from the effort. It was around four in the morning when Dr. Matusoff came to examine Elphaba and, for once, did not encourage her to relax again when finished.

"Ten centimeters," he said simply. "It's time."

Fiyero nodded and looked down at Elphaba to see that her eyes looked wide and slightly unfocused. He knew that her exhaustion and complete sensory overload was making it hard for her to process things right now.

"All right, Fae, this is it. Time to have this baby already," he whispered into her ear. She seemed to come to herself then, nodding and allowing him to help her into a sitting position, supporting her back as he did so. He knew that it was best for her to curl her body like a "C" to push and he shifted onto his knees so he could lean forward with her to encourage her into the right position.

"Okay, on the next contraction, I'm going to count to ten and I want you to push until I'm finished. We'll try to do three pushes with every contraction," Dr. Matusoff instructed, positioning himself between her legs.

Elphaba nodded and the room suddenly grew eerily silent, the air thick with anticipation. After a moment that seemed to stretch an eternity, Elphaba's whole body suddenly tensed. Dr. Matusoff immediately began counting and she dropped her head to her chest, hooked her arms around her knees, and focused all of her energy into pushing. She groaned with the effort and allowed all her remaining breath to escape her in a rush when he finished counting. She focused on keeping her breathing deep and even until the doctor began counting again. When the contraction was over, she fell bonelessly back against Fiyero.

"Good job, Fae. I'm right here with you," he said softly to her.

"Just try to relax between contractions now, save up your energy," Dr. Matusoff advised. He watched the clock and after a minute and a half, he warned Elphaba that the next one should be coming soon. She forced her body back into position and braced herself. When it hit, she clenched her teeth and bore down. This went on for three more contractions before she could hardly catch her breath and Dr. Matusoff told her that she should take a break on the next contraction and then continue pushing after that.

She was drenched in sweat now and Fiyero wiped her face gently with his sleeve. Her head was tilted back onto his shoulder and her bleary eyes opened and found his. He gave her an encouraging smile and leaned down to press his lips to her damp forehead.

"I love you, Fae," he whispered.

"I hate you," she muttered in response, causing him to chuckle.

"Well, tell you what. When this is over, I'll give you free reign to beat me up," he bargained, his heart lifting when this earned him a small smile.

"Don't tempt me," she replied. The smile quickly faded as a contraction took hold of her, but she remained lying back against him while she attempted to breathe and groan through the pain. When it was over, she took a slow, deep breath in, trying to summon whatever energy she had left to push again on the next one.

"You're amazing," he told her softly, awed by her strength.

"No, I'm not. You just think that because I'm the vessel for your child."

He brushed a damp lock of hair off of her forehead and tucked it behind her ear. "You know that's not true."

The tenderness in his voice reached her through her haze and she looked up at him again. "Yeah, I know," she assured him softly.

When the next contraction hit, she began to push again. Over the next twenty minutes, a pattern began to emerge. She would push for three and then take one off to recover. At some point during this time, Martha had slipped into the room, though neither Fiyero nor Elphaba really noticed until Dr. Matusoff had her take over the counting. In between contractions, she seemed to be readying a tray of medical tools and the small bassinet they'd been given. Fiyero saw that a blanket and small knit cap already lay inside, both neutrally colored white.

Elphaba had been pushing for an hour when Fiyero begun to notice a few sporadic tears leaking from her eyes again. He didn't say anything, just gently brushed them away before they could roll down her cheeks. He was struggling to stay positive and encouraging when all he really wanted to do was yell at the doctor to get the baby out of her already. He wasn't sure how much more her poor, worn out body could take. He just kept telling her over and over how much he loved her and how great she was doing, desperately wishing there was more he could do for her.

"I can see the head," Dr. Matusoff announced finally to everyone's enormous relief. "Home stretch now. No more breaks, we're just going to deliver this baby, okay?"

"Okay," Elphaba breathed, steeling herself. Fiyero once again supported her as she struggled to sit upright again. He moved her hair aside and brushed a kiss to the back of her neck and she waited for the next contraction to hit.

"You can do this, Fae. Let's meet our baby," he murmured close to her ear.

She pushed through the next two contractions and in the middle of the third, Dr. Matusoff suddenly ordered her to stop pushing. "The head is out, just hold off for one minute," he explained. Martha handed him a small suctioning tool, which Fiyero knew he was using on the baby's mouth and nose so it could breathe when fully delivered. He handed the tool quickly back to Martha and then looked up at Elphaba.

"Okay, one or two more strong pushes and your baby will be here," he told her.

Fiyero pressed himself firmly against her back, ready to support her through the end of this. His hands gripped her upper arms lightly and as the next contraction hit, he felt himself holding his breath. Distantly, he heard Martha counting to ten, but all of his focus was on Elphaba. He watched a bead of sweat slowly roll down her face, he saw her jaw tense as she clenched her teeth, he listened carefully to her labored breathing. She relaxed slightly for a second and he heard Dr. Matusoff saying something about one more, but he didn't pay attention. He gently rubbed his hands up and down her arms and murmured words of encouragement he'd repeated so many times that he wasn't even really sure what he was saying anymore. He suddenly became aware that she was pushing again and she was yelling through this one, putting more of her strength into it than she knew she possessed.

Suddenly, she fell back and his focus was torn off of her when he heard a sputtering cry fill the room.

Dr. Matusoff smiled up at them and raised his arms, allowing them their first view of their child, who as it turned out was not green, nor dark-skinned, but the palest shade of pink.

He lowered the baby fully into his arms again. "It's a girl, and she looks perfectly healthy," he told them joyfully.

Fiyero felt emotion surge through his entire body, listening to the cries of his new daughter. He tightened his hold on Elphaba, hoping she was feeling every bit as amazed and elated as he was. "You hear that?" He whispered to her. "You were right. It's a girl." He shifted slightly so he could look down into her face.

As soon as his eyes found hers, he could see that something wasn't right.

* * *

**A/N**: I know, I know, I'm mean! That's why there was a delay for this chapter, because I wanted to not wait two weeks to get out the next for your sakes haha. I've still got a bit of writing to do before I can post it, but I promise I'll try to do it as quickly as possible. Coming up- what exactly is wrong with Elphaba and the baby gets a name. Let me know what you thought, ok? I spent a *lot* of time on this chapter lol. Thanks guys!


	21. A Baby Sleeps

**A/N**: Ok hopefully I didn't torture you guys for too long before getting this one out. Thanks again for all the positive reviews, it's so refreshing to hear that I describe things like labor well, having never been through it myself but desperately trying to place myself in the mindset so I can write it well. Anyway, this chapter is slightly sappy in my opinion and deals with some sensitive issues. I've edited and re-edited it about a million times and I'm finally just forcing myself to post it. So hopefully you'll like it!

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Chapter Twenty-One: A Baby Sleeps

"Fiyero, would you like to cut the cord?" Dr Matusoff questioned, unaware of the silent communication happening on the bed. Fiyero ignored him and continued to stare into Elphaba's terrified eyes.

"Fae?" He questioned softly. He noticed suddenly that he could no longer hear the sound of her labored breathing.

Her mouth moved slightly and he could tell she was struggling to speak. He leaned close to her. "Fff-yero," she struggled out.

With that, her eyes suddenly rolled back into her head and her entire body began to twitch and shake forcefully. Fiyero stared down at her, shocked, instinctively trying to hold her down. Dr. Matusoff jumped to his feet quickly, the baby still in his arms.

"Quick, get her on her side and hold her arms down so she doesn't hurt herself," he urgently told Fiyero, who immediately did as told. "Martha, come take the baby. Cut the cord and then tie it off so it doesn't bleed, okay?" Martha rushed over and carefully took the screaming infant from the doctor's arms. Dr. Matusoff then turned his full focus to Elphaba. He moved to her head and pressed his paws forcefully into her jaw so that her mouth reflexively opened.

Fiyero felt terror like he'd never experienced gripping his entire body as he watched Elphaba continue to convulse. He had no idea what was going on and in all the chaos he couldn't find the words to ask. He just held onto her arms with all of his might. Then, as suddenly as it had started, the shaking ceased. Elphaba's limbs, which a moment ago had been completely rigid, went limp in Fiyero's hold. Dr. Matusoff let go of her jaw and leaned in so that his ear was close to her mouth, which was slightly parted.

"Her breathing is shallow. Let's get her sitting a bit more." Fiyero assisted him in rearranging the pillows and moving the head of the bed into a more upright position. He then shifted Elphaba onto her back. Her eyes were shut now and she showed no sign of consciousness.

Dr. Matusoff donned his stethoscope and pressed it to Elphaba's chest, listening. "Her breathing sounds a little better."

Fiyero took a deep breath, his heart still feeling like it was about to explode from his chest. "What the hell was that?"

"She's eclamptic, and that was a grand mal seizure. I'll explain more in a minute, but right now I need to get her started on an IV," he said quickly before he strode off, returning a moment later with an IV kit in hand.

"What are you giving her?" Fiyero questioned anxiously.

"Magnesium sulfate," the doctor replied distractedly as he moved to insert the IV into her arm.

"But I thought you said you couldn't give her any more of that because of her kidneys," Fiyero protested, wide-eyed.

The doctor looked up at him then as he taped the needle to the inside of Elphaba's elbow. "I know this is confusing, but what you need to know is that most women with eclampsia have multiple seizures, which can lead to brain swelling, bleeds, and a number of other complications. Her kidneys are still at risk, but they can potentially recover. If she bleeds into her brain, we'll lose her for certain… I need you to trust me right now, okay?"

Fiyero nodded numbly, unable to utter a response. He watched Dr. Matusoff hook her up to the IV and hang the bag as if he was seeing it from a great distance. His mind was still attempting to process how everything could have suddenly gone so wrong.

"What's going to happen to her?" He heard himself ask, though he couldn't fathom how his brain had conjured the words.

"Like most women after eclamptic seizures, she's fallen into a coma. I'm afraid I can't tell you how long it will last. And until she wakes up, there's no way I can tell if the seizure has caused any damage to her brain. I know it's not what you want to hear right now, but all we can really do is wait and see," the doctor replied sympathetically.

Fiyero desperately wanted to ask if she would be able to pull through this, the words were filling every corner of his mind, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. He simply stared down at Elphaba's unconscious form until the silence in the room was nearly deafening.

"I'm going to step out for a bit to examine the baby," Dr. Matusoff said suddenly, causing Fiyero to whirl around. He noticed for the first time that Martha, the baby, and the bassinet were all missing from the room.

"Where did they go?" Fiyero questioned frantically.

"Nowhere far. Martha just took her to another wing to clean her and let her sleep for a while, since it was a little chaotic in here. Would you like me to bring her in after I finish the examination?" He asked.

Fiyero simply nodded, not trusting himself to speak coherently. Dr. Matusoff nodded back and slipped through the curtains. Fiyero instantly turned back to Elphaba, feeling as if everything else was as frozen and still as she. He reached out and gently ran his fingertips down the side of her face, watching carefully to see if it elicited any reaction. When nothing happened, he bent over to gently kiss her forehead.

"Come back to me. Please," he whispered desperately into her ear. "I'm scared."

But wherever she was now, it was clearly going to take more than whispered pleas to bring her back.

* * *

Fiyero was still sitting with Elphaba an hour later, watching her chest rise and fall with every breath. Her breathing was starting to sound slightly less shallow and labored, but she still hadn't shown any signs of waking. When he could find his voice, he spoke to her, telling her how much he needed her, begging her to be okay. Mostly, though, he just watched her, his hand always in contact with her hand, her face, her arm, almost as if his touch could anchor her to this world.

When he heard the curtain rustle behind him, he jumped a bit and turned anxiously to see Dr. Matusoff entering with a blanketed bundle in his arms. Fiyero felt his breath catch as he stood and took a step toward the doctor.

"I have someone I'd like you to meet," Dr. Matusoff said quietly. "This is your daughter."

Fiyero instinctively held out his arms and the Goat gently transferred the baby into them. His heart swelled the second he caught a glimpse of her face. Her eyes were closed, tiny rosebud lips slightly parted in sleep. She was absolutely breathtaking and Fiyero couldn't help but notice how right it felt to have her small weight settled in his arms. He felt completely mesmerized, drinking in her every tiny feature. She wore a small knit cap to prevent her from losing necessary heat through her head, but he could see a few raven hairs poking out from underneath. Her nose already looked like a miniature version of Elphaba's. And now that the pink had somewhat faded from her skin, he could see how incredibly fair she was, almost ivory.

"She seems to be perfectly healthy, though just a bit on the small side," the Goat told him as he moved behind Fiyero and toward Elphaba's bed. Fiyero turned and watched him once again press the stethoscope to Elphaba's chest.

"I think her breathing sounds a little better," Fiyero offered hopefully.

"Yes, it does. No changes otherwise it seems." He sighed, clearly hesitant about something. "I need to speak with you about a sensitive issue."

"What?" Fiyero questioned, panicked.

"Well, as I said, there's no telling how long it may be before Miss Elphaba regains consciousness. The baby will soon need to be fed," he hedged cautiously.

Immediately, Fiyero caught onto what the doctor was saying and felt as if a lead weight had settled in his stomach. "You don't have any formula?"

"Miss Elphaba was very clear with me about her intention to breast-feed, so I'm afraid I didn't obtain any," he replied.

Fiyero remembered the discussion they'd had on the subject. Dr. Matusoff had told Elphaba that breast-feeding was important in building up an infant's immune system. Since they were traveling so soon after the baby's arrival, they both knew how vital that was. It had been one of the few easy decisions they'd made over the course of her pregnancy.

"This was important to her. And it's important for the baby, so just tell me what to do and I'll do it," Fiyero told him.

The doctor nodded and quickly demonstrated several different ways to hold the baby to help her nurse and explained the process as best he could. He offered to send Martha in to help, but Fiyero quickly refused. This was something he was determined to do on his own, aware as he was of Elphaba's modesty.

Dr. Matusoff soon left the new family alone and Fiyero settled himself on the edge of Elphaba's bed, the baby still sleeping in his arms. He still found it difficult to take his eyes off of her, except when he looked down at Elphaba's face for comparison. Eventually, he loosened the blanket slightly so that he could free one of her arms. He ran a finger along her tiny hand, watching her fingers tense and relax. Suddenly, her eyelids fluttered and slowly opened. He braced himself for cries, but they didn't come. He smiled down at her when her eyes settled on his.

She'd inherited so many things from Elphaba, but he now found himself looking into brown eyes identical to his own. He'd heard that almost all babies had blue eyes at birth, but it hardly surprised him that his daughter, that Elphaba's daughter, would be the exception.

"Hi there," he whispered softly to his daughter as she studied him. "I'm your father. And this," he continued, shifting the baby in his arms so that she faced Elphaba, "is your mother." He brought her back to stare up at him again. "We both love you so much." His voice broke then and he found himself unable to go on. Suddenly, he felt his daughter's little fingers close around his finger, gripping it lightly. He immediately felt some of the tension in his body relax. He could hardly believe that only hours into her life, this little creature was already providing him with comfort. He tried desperately not to cry as he slowly rocked her back to sleep.

After a while, he climbed fully onto the bed next to Elphaba, still cradling the sleeping infant. He leaned over and pressed his lips gently to Elphaba's temple. "You have to wake up, Fae," he whispered into her ear. "You have to wake up and see your daughter. She's so beautiful, just like you. She's not green, though, and I know that will make you happy. She's perfect, Fae, really. I can't wait for you to meet her." He watched her carefully for any sign that she'd heard him, but was unsurprised to receive none.

He sighed, suddenly feeling his own exhaustion beginning to set in. Praying that Elphaba would be back with him by the time he woke, he allowed himself to join his family in slumber.

He woke hours later to the sound of his daughter's cries. He immediately glanced around the room, feeling confused and disoriented. He traced the cries to the bassinet on the other side of the bed and realized that Martha must have brought it back in at some point and settled the baby into it. He rubbed his eyes and quickly rose from the bed to comfort his child. He gently lifted her from the bassinet and cradled her against him, rocking her soothingly. Her cries didn't soften and as consciousness slowly seeped back to him, he abruptly remembered the conversation he'd had earlier with the doctor.

Steeling himself, he made his way back over to the bed and climbed on slowly, trying not to jostle the baby too much. Shifting her into his right arm, he used his left to gently maneuver Elphaba so that her upper body was resting partially on top of him. Taking a deep breath, he moved his hand to the tie on the back of her gown and undid it. Summoning every ounce of strength he had in him, he pushed one side down, exposing her breast. He paused for a moment, half-expecting, wishing even, that she would open her eyes and slap him hard across the face, but she remained still.

"I'm so sorry, Fae," he whispered to her, trying desperately not to feel like he was betraying her trust. He felt a lump rise in his throat as he shifted the baby so that he cradled her head in the palm of his hand and moved her toward Elphaba's chest. It took a minute of maneuvering and gentle encouragement, but he was enormously relieved when the baby caught onto the idea and latched on. She quieted instantly and her still-teary eyes shifted between her mother and father as she fed.

Fiyero suddenly couldn't take it anymore, the wave of emotion he'd been battling all day finally crashing over him. He unabashedly allowed the tears to fall, watching as several of them landed in Elphaba's hair.

"Please, Elphaba," he choked out, "I can't do this alone. I need you so much. Your daughter needs you. She's here with you right now and I don't even think you know it… You have to come back to us."

* * *

Fiyero refused to leave Elphaba's side for the next two days. She hadn't shown any signs of improvement or decline and the doctor continued to reiterate that it was simply a waiting game. It was possible that the seizure had caused her brain to swell and she would regain conscious if and when the swelling went down. He assured Fiyero that as long as she was breathing on her own, they knew her brain was still functioning.

The baby had lived in the room with them as well, mostly sleeping in her bassinet. Fiyero was already beginning to figure out which cries meant she wanted to be held and which signified hunger. He continued to help her nurse, though he struggled with it greatly. He could hardly even bring himself to look at his daughter while she fed, not wanting to appreciate those moments when Elphaba couldn't. He did, however, allow the tiny beauty to melt his heart completely every time he rocked her to sleep afterward.

It was on the third day that Dr. Dillamond came for a visit. Fiyero was relieved to see his familiar face as he slipped through the curtains, carrying a rather large book in his paws. Fiyero offered him a small smile from where he sat on the edge of the bed, his daughter slumbering in his arms.

"I thought it was about time I met this little one of yours already," Dr. Dillamond told him lightly.

Fiyero rose from the bed and walked over to where the Goat stood, allowing him to gaze down at the sleeping infant.

"She's beautiful," he said sincerely. "Have you come up with a name yet?"

Fiyero shook his head slowly. "I wanted to wait for Elphaba."

At the mention of her name, they both turned to look at her unconscious figure on the bed. "How's she doing?" Dr. Dillamond asked after a moment.

"I wish I could tell you. There's been no change since the baby was born. Dr. Matusoff keeps saying we just have to wait and see," he replied heavily.

"Not the easiest feat, I'm sure," the Goat remarked knowingly.

Fiyero gave a dry, humorless chuckle. "No, it certainly hasn't been."

"If anyone can pull through this, she can. She's stronger than anyone in this world should need to be."

"I know," Fiyero agreed softly, his gaze shifting back to his daughter. "I just can't stand for her to miss all this."

The Goat glanced down at the book he still held. "Well, I know that you said you wanted to wait, but perhaps this will help you narrow it down at least." He handed the book to Fiyero, who saw that it contained the meanings and origins of names. "I'm sorry I couldn't get it to you sooner."

"Don't be. I know things have been busier without Elphaba's help. I really appreciate you getting it to me," Fiyero told him sincerely.

Dr. Dillamond hesitated for a moment before he spoke. "You know, I don't believe that she would hold it against you if you felt the need to pick a name without her. That beautiful little one deserves a name. Elphaba always knew that this sort of a thing was a possibility and she trusted you to make the right decisions."

Fiyero gave him a surprised look. "She spoke to you about it?"

"Briefly, yes. I think she just wanted to make sure that someone would assist you in the event of her, well, absence." Dr. Dillamond studied Fiyero for a moment. "Speaking of which, when was the last time you got a decent night's rest?"

Fiyero sighed. "I've been trying to nap when the baby does, but I have to be up every few hours to feed her."

"I'm sure Martha would be more than happy to assist you if you'd like a break," the Goat offered.

Fiyero immediately shook his head. "No, it needs to be me."

"Well, then perhaps you can at least take the baby back to your house so you can sleep in a real bed. It's only several tunnels away, you can bring her back here to feed when need be," he suggested sympathetically.

He glanced back at Elphaba's unconscious figure on the bed. "It's hard to leave her."

"I know, but she's in good hands here. You need to care for yourself. Your daughter needs you," the Goat reminded him.

"I'll think about it," Fiyero acquiesced, nodding slowly.

"Good. I've got to be getting to my lessons, but I'll come by again soon. If there's anything you need, please don't hesitate to ask," Dr. Dillamond said, placing a reassuring paw on Fiyero's arm.

"I won't. Thank you."

Once Dr. Dillamond had gone, Fiyero perched on the edge of the bed and cracked the book open with his free hand. He glanced through a couple of pages half-heartedly, wondering if anything would jump out at him. He sighed and glanced back uncertainly at Elphaba.

"What would you want me to do, Fae?" He asked softly. "I wish you would just wake up and tell me. I don't know if I can do this by myself."

The sound of his voice seemed to rouse his daughter. Her eyes fluttered open and she looked up at him sleepily. He couldn't help but smile at her as he leaned down to gently kiss her small forehead. She balled her little fists and yawned, the sight nearly melting him.

"You do deserve a name, don't you? It would be nice to have something real to call you." He glanced at Elphaba again briefly. "I hope you don't hate me for this," he whispered.

Decided, he refocused on the book, desperately trying to recall some of the names they'd already discussed and which Elphaba had liked. Remembering that he had brought up the name Keilyn, he flipped through the K's. Keilyn apparently meant "slender one." He looked down at his daughter. She was certainly small and would likely grow to be very slender, like her mother, but he knew Elphaba wouldn't like giving her a name based solely on her physical appearance. He dreaded to think what kind of a name Elphaba could have ended up with if her parents had thought that way.

"No, I don't think that will work for you," he murmured to the baby, who merely blinked back at him. Flipping through a couple of pages, the name Isabella jumped out at him. He looked at its meaning, but found that it was "my God is a vow" and knew that Elphaba would never stand for something so religious.

He closed his eyes briefly, trying to relive that conversation they'd had the night the baby had kept Elphaba up with the hiccups. He remembered suggesting Jessamine, but she hadn't liked it. He knew there were other names that they'd mentioned, but his mind felt so fuzzy from stress and lack of sleep. Finally, a name surfaced: Daveny. He remembered her saying it was unique in a fond way. Quickly, he flipped through the pages to find it.

Daveny meant "a beginning."

He remembered Elphaba saying that she wanted to give the baby a name new to both of them, because it would represent their new beginning, their chance to start over. He couldn't imagine a more perfect significance.

He returned his gaze to the baby, who looked as if she was beginning to drift off again. "Daveny. What do you think of that?"

She cooed up at him and he smiled as he began to gently rock her. Her long, dark eyelashes began to flutter and he felt his breath once again stolen away by how beautiful she was.

"Daveny it is."

* * *

**A/N**: For those of you who are wondering, the name Daveny is pronounced Day-ven-ee. It's something I heard once and it always stuck with me. I also had to fabricate the meaning of it, since there are no definite origins or meanings of the name. But we all have to take some creative liberty sometimes, right? Anyway, I hope you guys liked it, even though it's certainly not the happiest of chapters. Let me know what you thought, ok? Next chapter- some developments in the plans to get to Aquaria and Elphaba's health takes a turn- for the better or worse? Find out soon!


	22. For Every Sleepless Night He Spends

**A/N**: Okay, so here's the part where I offer out massive apologies. I was pretty consistent with my weekly updates for a while, but honestly these last few weeks have been the kind of crazy, almost life-altering times when writing becomes one of the last things on my mind. And the worse news is that it's not long before I'm off to my annual week volunteering at a camp in the middle of nowhere and then traveling a bit with my family, so things may only get crazier. I'll do my best, though, I promise. I really appreciate your patience and your continued faith in this story. No matter what, I will see it through to the end, I swear. Okay and now on with the chapter!

* * *

Chapter Twenty-Two: For Every Sleepless Night He Spends

Fiyero ended up taking Dr. Dillamond's advice that very night and moved the bassinet into his house so that he could bring Daveny home with him. He settled her as close to the bed as possible and watched her sleep for at least an hour before he finally allowed himself to sleep as well. She woke just before sunrise, crying to be fed. Fiyero quickly carried her back to the medical center and to Elphaba's bed. While she nursed, he talked softly to Elphaba, telling her how he'd named their daughter and all the incredible things he'd observed in her that day, such as her delicate little yawn.

He continued this routine for the next two days. He slept whenever Daveny did, attempting to catch up on too many lost hours. When she was hungry, he brought her back to Elphaba and spent some time lying with her even after Daveny had finished. He felt like he was existing in some strange limbo, constantly torn between basking in the joy his daughter brought him daily and drowning in the fear he felt every time he thought about Elphaba. He'd had no idea that there was room in his heart to love and worry for two people this much.

On the third day that Daveny was home with him, he was fixing himself some lunch in the kitchen while she napped and he jumped slightly when he heard a knock at his door. He opened it quickly to see Lionus standing there in the tunnel. He was surprised, having hardly spared the Dog a thought during the tumultuous week.

"Lionus, please come in," he offered politely, holding the door open. The Dog gave him a small smile and brushed past him into the kitchen. Fiyero gestured to the table and they both sat. "I'm so sorry it's been so long since we last met. Things have just been…" He trailed off, unable to find the right word for how overwhelming the last week had truly been.

"No need for apologies. Dr. Dillamond informed me of your wife's condition. How is she?" Lionus questioned, his voice full of sympathy.

"Pretty much the same. The doctor seems to think that her brain and body may just need some time to heal themselves. He seems hopeful that she'll wake up in time."

"I can't imagine what it's been like for you. If I can be of service in any way…"

Fiyero nodded gratefully. "Thank you. I'm not sure there's much anyone can do for now, but I'll let you know if I think of anything."

"How are you holding up?" Lionus asked, looking surprisingly concerned.

Fiyero hesitated, unsure of the answer himself. "I'm doing the best I can," he said simply.

Lionus sighed. "I hate to bring it up, because I know you have far more important things to worry about, but I was wondering what you wanted to do about our plans. I've tried to continue as best I could with some of the research, but I'm afraid there's only so much I'm capable of without your knowledge and insight. If it's simply too much for you right now, I understand."

"My entire life is too much for me right now, but that doesn't mean I can simply stop living it," he replied honestly. "We should continue planning. There's still enough time that Elphaba could wake up and recover and we can all make the journey safely. And if not… at least I can know that you'll stand a decent chance at getting their on your own."

"Are you sure about this, Fiyero? I hate to add anything more to your plate right now."

"I'm sure. It's the right thing to do… and it's exactly what Elphaba would want," he replied thickly.

Lionus appraised him, looking impressed. "I truly underestimated you when I arrived here."

Fiyero tried to smile, but his emotions were beginning to get the better of him. Suddenly, they both looked toward the bedroom as the sound of Daveny's cries filled the small house. Fiyero was out of his chair instantly, excusing himself before he headed toward his daughter. He knew she'd eaten too recently to be hungry again and was guessing that she simply wanted to be held. Gently, he lifted her from the bassinet and settled her into his arms. He rocked her and hummed to her softly until her cries quieted and turned slowly to little hiccups. He continued to rock her as he made his way back into the kitchen where he'd left Lionus.

"Sorry about that," he said to the Dog as he breezed back in. "She's just being a little fussy."

Lionus smiled and stood to get a look at the infant. "What's her name?"

"Daveny," Fiyero replied fondly.

Lionus reached out and allowed her to grasp part of his paw in her tiny fist. "She's exquisite, Fiyero, really."

"She has a lot of Elphaba in her. I can see it already," Fiyero replied.

"Well, it will be a pleasure to have her along on the ship to Aquaria. I hope it works out that way, truly," the Dog said sincerely.

"So do I."

Lionus smiled down at Daveny for a moment before gently pulling his paw back. "Well, I'll leave you to the rest of your day then. Shall I bring all of our material by tomorrow?"

"Yes, anytime in the afternoon should be fine. That's usually when she naps the longest," Fiyero replied, gesturing to the baby.

"Alright, I'll see you then. And congratulations," he said before he made his way out.

Fiyero couldn't help but notice that it was the first time since the birth of his daughter that someone had offered congratulations. He'd heard so many condolences and so many concerned inquiries that he hadn't quite realized all the normal sentiments that had been absent. Looking down at his calming daughter, he certainly felt justified in being congratulated for helping to create something so magnificent, but he knew it was Elphaba who deserved most of the credit. Now if only she would wake up to take it.

* * *

Fiyero met with Lionus in the early afternoon and he was quickly brought up to speed on what the Dog had managed without him. They had succeeded in mapping a relatively safe course through half of the Dominion already and had obtained a good number of supplies, but he knew it was going to take a good deal of work still. They had to plan this trip perfectly, for they did not want to spend one extra minute in the Dominion beyond what they needed to and they could not be late getting to the ship. They also now found themselves coming up with contingencies should Lionus need to make the trip alone.

Once Lionus had left, Fiyero decided to bring Daveny to the medical center, knowing it would only be a matter of time now before she woke up hungry. She was sleeping rather soundly and didn't stir when he scooped her gently into his arms. When he arrived at the center and pushed through the curtains surrounding Elphaba's bed, he was surprised to find both Dr. Matusoff and Dr. Dillamond there in the middle of what seemed to be a hushed conversation. Both Animals turned to him when he entered, but neither smiled in greeting. Fiyero immediately felt a chill spread throughout his body.

"What's going on?" He questioned anxiously.

Dr. Matusoff stepped forward slightly. "I was checking on Miss Elphaba today and I noticed that her extremities have some swelling. I'm afraid this likely indicates that her kidneys are significantly damaged," he explained as gently as possible.

Fiyero suddenly felt as if a lead weight had settled in his stomach. "Is that why she's not waking up?"

"It could be part of the reason, yes. I've been speaking with Dr. Dillamond about trying to obtain some medications that could help. They're not exactly common and may be somewhat difficult to find, but if we're able to try them out, we should be able to tell the extent of the damage, maybe even reverse it."

"I'm going to send a message to Lady Glinda at once," Dr. Dillamond added. "I won't tell her of the circumstances of course, but I'll let her know that it's urgent. She's made it a priority to assist us here and I have no doubt she'll do her best to get us the medications quickly."

"How quickly do they need to get here?" Fiyero questioned Dr. Matusoff.

"I'm afraid I can't answer that. I can't ascertain how severe the damage is based on this one symptom. We'll just have to continue to keep a close eye on her," the Goat replied.

Daveny chose that moment to wake with a piercing cry. Fiyero held her close to his chest and tried to soothe her.

"We'll give you some time alone," Dr. Matusoff offered. "I'll come back in a little while so we can talk more. Take some time with your family for now."

Fiyero nodded gratefully and watched the two Goats quickly exit the room. Daveny's cries hadn't quieted at all and he suspected that she was hungry. Trying to block out all the horrors that were racing through his brain, he brought her over to the bed and mechanically went through the steps of getting her ready to nurse. Once the baby was settled, he allowed himself to examine the emerald arm that now rested on top of him. It did indeed look swollen to him and he wondered how long it had been that way and if he should have noticed sooner.

Trying not to let his fears overwhelm him, he shifted to look into her face, which was as beautiful and peaceful as he'd ever seen it. He wondered for the millionth time that week how far away she was at that moment or if she was conscious at all of the fact that he was here with her. He wondered if she'd gotten a glance of Daveny before her seizure had taken hold of her, just the way she had wondered if her mother had gotten to see Nessarose. He hoped desperately that she was aware of how much she had to fight for, to live for.

He spent much of the next several days in Elphaba's hospital room, returning home only when Daveny was down for the night or what he anticipated to be a long nap. He watched Elphaba carefully for any sign of change, any new symptom, but saw nothing. Dr. Matusoff checked on her frequently and taught Fiyero how to exercise her arms and legs to help reduce the build-up of fluid that was occurring and keep her muscles from atrophying. Lionus had taken to bringing their research to the medical center so Fiyero wouldn't have to leave. Despite Fiyero's considerable distraction, they were beginning to make some real progress and he found himself constantly wondering if he would end up making this journey at all. Things were certainly looking dimmer with this latest complication.

When the medication finally arrived four days after Dr. Dillamond had sent for it, Fiyero felt a mix of relief and anxiety take hold of him. He knew that this was something she likely needed to start healing, but he also knew how much more dire her condition would be if they didn't work. Dr. Matusoff assured him that, either way, he would gain valuable information, but Fiyero worried that limited life expectancy may be all he gleaned from the medication's failure.

As the medications were administered, he was vaguely aware of Dr. Matusoff attempting to explain what each one was for. He caught random words, such as "phosphorus," "regulation," and "blood cells," but he couldn't seem to take his eyes off Elphaba. He knew the medications would take time to have any sort of effect, but he couldn't help hoping that she would just wake up right then and there and everything would start to go back to normal. The doctor must have noticed his distraction, for he soon gave Fiyero's shoulder a reassuring squeeze and left him alone.

Still cradling Daveny, he crawled onto the bed next to Elphaba, careful not to disturb the multiple IV lines that she was now attached to. He nuzzled her face and hair gently and brushed a kiss just below her ear.

"Time to come back to us, Fae," he whispered to her. "I miss you so much."

* * *

"Master Fiyero, please wake up."

Fiyero cracked an eye open, unsure if he was really hearing the voice or if he'd simply dreamt it. When he saw a silhouette hovering over his bed, he opened his other eye and shook himself into alertness.

"Martha?" He questioned, making out the Cow's figure in the dark. "What is it?"

"My apologies for waking you, but I didn't want to risk waking your little one by knocking. Dr. Matusoff sent me to get you. It seems Miss Elphaba has been asking for you," she told him.

Fiyero gaped at her for a second, certain he'd misheard her. "Asking for me? You mean she's awake?"

"It would seem so, yes," she replied calmly.

Fiyero was up instantly, deciding not to bother with changing from his T-shirt and loose sleeping trousers. He looked up at Martha as he hastily pulled on his shoes.

"Did the doctor say anything else?" He asked frantically.

"No, I think he's waiting to speak with you at the center. I can stay here and watch the baby if you'd like. It may be a little hectic in there for her right now, I wouldn't want her to lose any sleep," she offered.

"Would you really? I really appreciate it, Martha, thank you so much," he said hastily.

"Not at all, dear. Now go be with her."

Fiyero wasted no time in following her advice and practically sprinted through the tunnels to the medical center. As he navigated his way easily to Elphaba's bed, he was reminded horribly of the night she went into labor. How excited and blissfully ignorant he'd been that night. He quickly spotted Dr. Matusoff waiting outside the closed curtains surrounding the bed.

"She's awake?" Fiyero asked instantly, needing the confirmation.

"She's conscious, yes, though she's in and out right now. She woke briefly before and she was rather disoriented. She asked for you several times and I reassured her you'd be here soon. I managed to explain to her where she was before she drifted off again. I'm not sure how much she really understood," he explained.

"Do you think it's something to do with her brain?" Fiyero asked fearfully, knowing the seizure could have caused some kind of damage.

"It's possible, of course, but more likely that she's just still a bit out of it. She may just need a little while to get her bearings back. And her body still needs a lot of rest, she's certainly not out of the woods yet."

Fiyero nodded. "Can I see her?"

"Of course. Just try to keep her calm. Don't overwhelm her with too much information just yet," he warned.

"I won't," Fiyero assured the doctor before brushing past him and pushing the curtains aside.

He saw Elphaba's sleeping figure instantly. He figured her breathing must have improved somewhat because the bed was more reclined than normal. She was lying on her back, but her head had fallen to the side, facing the chair he so often occupied. Her green hand was resting at her side and he instantly took it into his as he settled himself in the chair. He noticed that the swelling in her arm seemed to have gone down slightly. He reached out with his free hand to gently caress her face.

She groaned softly and moved her head ever so slightly. "Yero?" She murmured, eyes still closed.

His heart leapt into his throat as he sputtered into speech. "Yeah, Fae, I'm here."

Her eyelids fluttered for a moment and then cracked open, just barely. He smiled through the tears he felt threatening at the back of his eyes. "Hey," he said softly.

"What happened?" She asked hoarsely.

"You were sick for a little while, but you're doing better now," he replied gently.

She sighed softly, her eyes quickly losing their battle to stay open. "I'm so tired," she mumbled.

"Get some rest. I'll be right here when you wake up again," he assured her, bringing her hand to his lips.

She appeared to be asleep almost instantly and Fiyero was beginning to feel assured that her confusion was nothing more than what anyone would feel after waking from a nearly two-week long coma. He watched her sleep for a good half-hour before remembering that he'd left Daveny in Martha's care. He knew he should be getting back so the Cow could get some rest, but leaving Elphaba's side seemed suddenly impossible.

Dr. Matusoff suddenly pushed through the curtains, interrupting Fiyero's internal debate.

"Did she wake at all?" He asked.

"Yes, just for a moment. She was disoriented as you said, but still somewhat coherent. She just asked me what had happened," Fiyero replied.

"Well she may be better off tomorrow once she's had a good night's rest. It's going to take a bit of time for her sleep patterns to return to normal. And we've still got to keep a close eye on her kidney function. It appears to have improved certainly, but there's no saying how extensive the damage may have been. At least now she can tell us what symptoms she may be feeling."

"I'd really like to be here when she wakes up again."

"Of course you would. I'm sure Martha would be more than happy to take little Daveny for the night. I'll have someone go let her know," he offered.

"I'd really appreciate it. I'll go get her in the morning, maybe bring her here if Elphaba's doing a little better. I just don't want to leave her right now."

"Quite understandable. I think having you there will provide her a measure of reassurance as well. She's likely to be pretty confused when she's a bit more coherent."

* * *

**A/N**: Yay, she's awake! I didn't want to torture you all for too long. There's enough of that coming down the line hahaha. Coming up next chapter- Elphaba meets Daveny. Enough said. Please continue to leave me some feedback even though I've been a bad, slow writer lately haha. Thanks guys!


	23. Keep Stealing, Breathing Her

**A/N**: Okay, a gift for you all- a new chapter even though I'm totally breaking my own rules to do so haha. But I'm off on my trip soon and I know that's going to be completely insane and I won't even have the internet for a week, so this might be the last chapter for a little while. But I think it's a good one to leave off on. We'll see what you think- let me know! And as always, thank you thank you thank you for your wonderful feedback!

* * *

Chapter Twenty-Three: Keep Stealing, Breathing Her

Fiyero remained on the chair beside Elphaba's bed for the entire night. He dozed off several times, but always awoke anxiously, worried that he would miss her next period of consciousness. She stirred some in her sleep and it was reassuring, reminding Fiyero that the sleep would not be permanent. Knowing those beautiful hazel eyes could flutter open at any moment kept him rooted to her side, watching her slumber for hours.

The sun had just begun to rise when he saw her shift slightly onto her side and he held his breath, waiting to see if she was awake. Sure enough, her eyelids fluttered open slowly and she blinked a few times before focusing on his face.

"Good morning," he said with a bright smile. "How are you feeling?"

"Like I could sleep for about eight years," she replied, her voice sounding clearer than the night before, but still significantly weaker than normal.

"Well, try not to, please. I'm not sure I could take any more," he replied lightly.

"Why? How long have I been out?" She questioned.

He sighed, knowing she wasn't going to like the answer. "Almost two weeks. You had me scared half to death."

She shook her head slowly, trying to comprehend his words and their meaning. "I don't understand. What happened to me? Everything is so fuzzy."

"You had a seizure, and afterward you fell into a coma. We didn't know how long it would last." She moved her hand to scrub at her eyes and Fiyero could see how frustrated and confused she looked. He reached out and removed her hand from her face, taking it in his own and kissing each of her fingers lightly. "You know, next time you want to make sure I live up to my end of a bet, you don't have to go all comatose on me," he teased, trying to make her smile.

She stared at him blankly for a moment and then suddenly he watched as her breath caught in her throat and her eyes went wide. "Oh Oz, the baby! I can't even remember… Where's the baby? Is it okay?" She questioned frantically, gripping his hand like a vice.

Fiyero mentally kicked himself, forgetting that she was still disoriented and he needed to ease into these things gently. "Shh, calm down, Fae. The baby's fine. She's with Martha right now," he assured her, reaching out with his free hand to cup her cheek.

He heard her breath hitch slightly. "She?"

"Yes, she. I can't wait for you to see her, Fae. I'll go get her in a little while and bring her by."

"We have a daughter," she whispered in awe.

He grinned at her, so glad to finally be able to share this joy with her. "We do. And she's incredible."

"Is she…" She trailed off, unable to bring herself to ask the question that had plagued her throughout her entire pregnancy.

"Green?" Fiyero asked knowingly. "No, she's actually incredibly fair. People are going to wonder if she's really our child." He chuckled lightly.

She sighed and closed her eyes, having heard what she'd truly needed to. "I can't wait to meet her," she murmured sleepily.

"You will, soon. Just rest up a bit more. You're going to want to have as much energy as you can to study her every little feature, trust me."

She mumbled something incomprehensible, already half-asleep. He leaned over and pressed his lips gently to her forehead. He remained close until her breathing had evened out and then leaned back in the chair with a sigh. It had been a long night and his body was feeling heavy with exhaustion, having hardly had a good night's sleep since Daveny's birth. He knew the baby would likely be waking soon, though, and he wanted to get her from Martha's before Elphaba woke again. Just the thought of finally getting to watch Elphaba holding their daughter gave him the energy to push himself out of the chair and head through the tunnels to Martha's house.

He knocked on the door lightly when he arrived, not wanting to wake the baby if she was still sleeping. Martha answered quickly and ushered him inside with a smile.

"How's she doing?" The Cow questioned.

"Much better. She's slowly getting her bearings back, though she's still pretty exhausted. I told her I'd bring Daveny by this morning. Thank you so much for looking after her overnight," he said gratefully.

"Oh not at all. She's an absolute pleasure, so precious and sweet."

"I hope she didn't keep you up too much," Fiyero ventured.

"No, she was pretty good. She woke up when I was bringing her over here and got a little fussy. I think she was probably missing you, but she settled down after a while. Still sleeping soundly," she told him.

Fiyero smiled. "Well we'll see how long that lasts."

Martha returned his smile and led him into her bedroom where the bassinet was now set up in the corner. He walked over and peered down at his sleeping daughter. He couldn't believe how much he'd actually missed her in the mere hours it had been since he'd left her. Not wanting to disturb her by lifting her out of the bassinet, he simply lifted the whole thing into his arms and maneuvered it out of the room. Martha cleared a path for him and held the door open to the tunnels. He thanked her again before setting out for the medical center.

Elphaba was still sound asleep when he arrived and he carefully and quietly set the bassinet down on the far side of her bed. Brushing a feather-light kiss to Daveny's forehead, he gazed down at her for a minute before returning to the chair beside Elphaba's bed. Having his entire family in this little room, sleeping soundly and sure to awaken in the next few hours, he felt as if an enormous weight had been lifted from him. Letting out a deep sigh, he allowed himself to lean forward and rest his head on Elphaba's bed, near her hip. His eyes slipped shut almost of their own accord and he fell quickly into a light doze.

* * *

He woke some time later to the sensation of gentle fingers threading through his hair. Cracking his eyes opened, he tilted his head and saw that Elphaba was awake, smiling softly at him.

"Hey," he murmured, sitting up and rubbing the sleep from his eyes. "How long have you been up?"

"Not long," she replied. "You must have been sleeping very lightly. You stirred almost the second I touched you."

"Well, I wanted to make sure I was awake when you were. How are you feeling?"

"Still tired, but otherwise okay."

"Good," he said, smiling. "Because there's someone I want you to meet."

He rose from his chair and she watched him intently, following his form as he made his way around her bed. When her eyes fell on the small bassinet, she drew in a quick breath and stared at it, slightly wide-eyed. Fiyero reached down to lift Daveny, relieved when she didn't stir from the movement. He looked over to Elphaba and saw that her mouth had fallen open slightly and she was struggling to push herself into a more upright position.

"Here, let me adjust the bed so you can sit up and hold her," Fiyero offered. With his free hand, he managed lift the head of the bed and settle it into the right notch so she was sitting as much as possible. Once that was done, he lowered himself to the edge of the bed and gently transferred the baby into Elphaba's waiting arms.

As she looked down into her daughter's sleeping face, Elphaba felt a wave of indescribable emotion wash over her, the force of it bringing tears to her eyes. "Oh my Oz," she whispered in awe. She brushed a finger lightly along the side of the baby's face, feeling her downy skin. One of Daveny's arms had come loose from the blanket and Elphaba moved her finger to it, allowing the baby to grasp it reflexively in her tiny fist. She brought her daughter's hand to her lips, kissing it gently.

Fiyero wasn't sure he'd ever seen anything so incredible as the sight before him right then. Elphaba cradled Daveny close, studying her as if she were a work of art. And she was, in a way- something amazingly beautiful that they had created together. He'd longed for this moment ever since his daughter's birth and the look on Elphaba's face was everything he imagined it would be and more. He watched as a tear spilled over onto her cheek and he gently reached out to brush it away, his hand lingering to rest lightly against her cheekbone.

She looked up at him briefly, flashing the most radiant smile he'd ever seen. "She really is perfect," she said softly, her gaze quickly returning to the sleeping infant in her arms.

"She looks so much like you," he told her, smiling.

"You think so?" She asked, mentally cataloguing her daughter's every feature.

"You'd be blind not to notice it. Her skin may be light, but her hair is as ebony as yours. She already has your nose and mouth and I bet she'll have your high cheekbones too. She has my eyes, though," he added proudly.

"I can't believe she's almost two weeks old already. I can't even imagine how much I've missed," she said sadly.

"A lot of sleeping for the most part," he said lightly, trying to reassure her. "Don't worry, all the good stuff is still to come. There are some things I should probably fill you in on, though."

"Such as?" She asked curiously, meeting his gaze once again.

"Well, I hope you'll be okay with this… You see, I didn't know when you were going to wake up and Dr. Dillamond brought the name book by. I really needed something to call her. I didn't want to do it without you, Fae, I really didn't-"

"What did you decide on?" She asked calmly, cutting off his frantic explanation.

"I've been calling her Daveny. I looked it up and saw that it meant 'a beginning' and I thought it was fitting. But if you hate it…"

"Daveny," she said thoughtfully, looking back down at her daughter. "I think it suits her."

"Really?"

"Yeah. You made the right decision," she told him, reaching out for his hand with her free one. He took hold of it immediately, relieved, and tangled his fingers with hers. "So, tell me about her," she requested.

"Well, she's been pretty good. She doesn't sleep entirely through the night, but she settles pretty fast when you hold her. When she's awake and calm, she just looks around at everything, like she's trying to take it all in. I've been humming to her sometimes and she seems to like it, but I'm sure she'll enjoy your singing much more. I really don't have the voice for it… I've been bringing her by here every day. She knows you. As much as she can at this point, anyway."

She looked at him tenderly, tears threatening to spill again. "I never thought it would feel like this," she admitted softly. "I'm not even sure what I _am_ feeling, but it's completely overwhelming."

"I know what you mean. I haven't been able to take my eyes off her from the second she was born," he replied, smiling.

"Oz, I can't wait to actually look into her little eyes," Elphaba said, an uncharacteristic happiness in her voice.

"Well, I'm sure you won't have to wait long. She'll be waking any time now, screaming to be fed."

She looked up at him, apprehensive. "Will I be able to nurse her?"

Fiyero sighed, having briefly forgotten that this was sure to come up. "Actually… you've been nursing her since her birth," he told her hesitantly. She didn't speak for a moment, looking slightly dumbfounded and he quickly jumped back into explain. "Well, Dr. Matusoff said that you'd discussed wanting to breast-feed and so he hadn't sent out for any sort of formula. And I knew that we needed to make sure her immune system was strong enough to make the trip to Aquaria. So I've been bringing her by to nurse a couple of times a day. It's always been me, though, I didn't let anyone else help at all. I wanted to respect your privacy as much as I could."

Her expression softened almost immediately. "You did what was best for her, which is exactly what I would've wanted you to do. And thank you for taking care of it yourself. I do rather dislike the thought of being exposed to relative strangers while unconscious."

"So you're not angry?" He asked cautiously.

"Fiyero, since when have you been so utterly afraid of me? How could I fault you for doing what you needed to care for our child? Especially since you seem to have done a fine job of it… In a way, it actually makes me glad," she confessed.

"How so?"

"Well, it's sort of a comfort to know that, even though I wasn't really present for the beginning of her life, she was still able to bond with me in a way. Even if I didn't know it." She sighed and shook her head slowly, a small smile playing at her lips. "Sweet Oz, listen to me. What am I turning into?"

He reached out again to cup her cheek, his soft smile reflecting hers. "A mother."

She leaned forward to kiss him and he moved to meet her halfway, but before their lips could touch, Daveny suddenly awoke with a loud cry. Elphaba and Fiyero both jumped slightly and then laughed. Elphaba looked down at her daughter and rocked her gently.

"Hey there," she said softly. "I guess that means you're hungry."

Fiyero wordlessly shifted so that he could reach behind her and undo the top tie on her gown. She smiled her thanks to him and then reached to pull half of it down. Fiyero half-expected her to be hesitant heading into the task consciously for the first time, but Daveny was settled and nursing almost in the blink of an eye. Elphaba's gaze was fixed as unwaveringly on her daughter as Fiyero's was on her.

"You're a natural," he told her.

She chuckled lightly. "Who would've thought?" He joined her laughter and she looked up at him as they quieted. She held his gaze for a moment before inclining her head toward him, succeeding this time in closing the distance between them.

The feel of her lips against his was like finally waking from a terrible dream. He hadn't realized until now how frightened he'd been that she would never find her way back to him. He'd been so overwhelmed with everything, he'd had to focus on the positive simply to stay sane. Now that she was here, alive and in his arms, with their daughter settled between them, he realized how much he truly needed her. He reached out to tangle his fingers in her hair, pulling her slightly closer and deepening the kiss, not out of passion, but simply of love.

Elphaba pulled back a moment later, slightly breathless and actually giggling. "What is it?" Fiyero asked, confused.

"She's pulling on my hair," she replied, gesturing to Daveny. Fiyero looked down at his daughter and saw that sure enough, her little hand had tangled its way into Elphaba's dark tresses and she was gazing intently up at her mother.

"She probably wants your attention," Fiyero said lightly.

Elphaba brought her free hand to cup Daveny's small head tenderly. "Hey there, little one. You are the most beautiful little creature I've ever seen. I don't know how you possibly came from me… but I'm so glad you're finally here. You're going to have a wonderful life, I promise." She paused for a moment and then looked back up at Fiyero. "Speaking of which, how have things been going with Lionus?"

"Pretty good, actually. We've been meeting as much as we can and I think we've got everything mostly worked out. We, um, we made contingencies in case you weren't well enough and he had to make the trip alone."

"Didn't I tell you to go without me if need be?" She reminded him.

"And didn't _I_ tell _you_ I wasn't going anywhere so long as you were still alive?" He countered.

She sighed. "I guess it doesn't much matter now. You can start planning for all of us."

"Well, we still need to talk to the doctor, see how you're recovering and how your kidney function is. It's not exactly an easy trip to make."

"How long until we'd have to leave?" She questioned.

"Just over two weeks," he replied.

She nodded. "We can manage that."

"I hope so. But we're not going anywhere if it seriously risks your health or Daveny's. Since you carried her longer than expected, she's not as old as we hoped she'd be by this time. The doctor wanted her to be two months, remember? So we'll just have to talk with him and see what he thinks," he reasoned.

"I just want to get her out of here as soon as possible, Fiyero. I want to make sure she has the life she deserves," Elphaba said desperately.

"I know, Fae, I want that too. But I also want to make sure that you'll both be healthy enough to make it to that better life… Either way, we'll figure something out. I promise," he assured her.

Before she could respond, Daveny gurgled and pulled away from Elphaba's breast, evidently finished. Elphaba smiled softly at the baby and shifted so she could slide her arm back through the sleeve of the gown.

"Here, let me help," Fiyero offered, getting up from his spot and moving around the bed so that he could help her pull the gown up and tie it in the back. When he was finished, she shifted over to the far side of the bed and patted the empty space next to her. It was a tight squeeze, but he managed to lounge next to her, pulling her close. They both took a moment to silently watch Daveny, whose little eyelids were beginning to droop.

"She looks tired," Elphaba commented.

Fiyero smiled and ran his fingers lightly through her hair. "So does her mother."

"I'm fine," she replied dismissively.

"Fae, you just woke up from a two-week coma. You need to rest and get your strength back," he reminded her gently.

She sighed and looked up at him, pouting slightly. "I don't want to let her go yet."

He smiled indulgently at her. "Here, give her to me. I have an idea."

She reluctantly shifted the baby into Fiyero's arms. He reached underneath the bed to adjust the headrest so that they were lying back a little more. He then settled Daveny's nearly sleeping form against his chest, holding her in place with one arm. He wrapped the other around Elphaba as she caught onto the idea and shifted onto her side, settling her head on his shoulder so that her face was close to Daveny's. She reached out and rested a hand near his on Daveny's small back.

"How's that?" He asked her softly.

"Perfect." They were silent for a moment as they both watched their daughter drift off to sleep. Elphaba then leaned over to gently kiss the baby's cheek. Fiyero smiled, pulling her closer.

"She still needs a middle name, you know. I left that for you to decide," he remembered suddenly.

She pondered this or a moment. "Well her first name already has such a beautiful meaning. I think her middle name should have a personal one," she said.

"If you want to name her after someone in your family, I'm fine with that," he told her.

"I know I said I might, but I thought about it and I think I came up with something better. I'd rather name her after someone who meant a great deal to both of us…" she trailed off, tilting her head up to meet his eyes.

He nodded, understanding her meaning. "Daveny Glinda?"

She shook her head, a small smile playing at her lips. "Daveny _Ga_linda. With a _Ga_."

He laughed. "It's perfect." He leaned down and brushed his lips across her emerald forehead. "Now get some rest, okay?"

She sighed and settled back against him. He felt her breathing even out within minutes. He couldn't help but feel his own exhaustion beginning to weigh on him as well. Before he allowed himself to drift off, he took a moment to appreciate the miracle of holding his entire family safely in his arms. He felt such a surge of protectiveness for these two females who had so quickly come to be the most important things in his life. He would do anything for them, would give his life for either of them without a second thought. He knew that he had everything he would ever need in this life right there with him on that bed. But a nagging little voice in the back of his mind reminded him that having everything also meant having everything to lose.

* * *

**A/N**: Okay, okay I know it was kind of a dark ending, but an otherwise uplifting chapter, right? I hope you enjoyed it! Please let me know what you thought. I'll try to get as much writing done while I'm away as possible, I promise. Coming up next: more on Elphaba's health and a decision on whether or not they'll set out for Aquaria.


	24. She's Chosen Where to Be

**A/N**: Okay so this is the part where I offer my sincerest apologies on my complete lack of updates. I could spend paragraphs explaining it all to you, but I'm sure you're all much more interested in getting on with the story, so I'll simply say that I have been more busy this last month than I can ever remember being. I'm hoping that life will start to calm down a bit soon. I've been through a lot emotionally as well recently and have just finally gotten back into a writing state of mind again. So the story will go on! Due to my extended break from this story, though, the chapters will be shorter for a little while. But this way I can get them out to you faster, so hopefully that's more good news than it is bad! Anyway, I won't blab on any further… enjoy the chapter!

* * *

Chapter Twenty-Four: She's Chosen Where to Be

Daveny awoke them several hours later with her cries. Fiyero was instantly awake and he felt Elphaba stirring against his shoulder. Her eyes looked tired and unfocused when she opened them and he gently eased her head back onto the pillow.

"It's okay, I've got her. You can go back to sleep," he told her as he rose from the bed.

"She okay?" Elphaba asked sleepily.

"Yeah, she just needs to be changed," he replied as he gently laid the baby down at the foot of the bed and gathered the necessary items for the task. Within two minutes, Daveny was calm, clean, and changed. Fiyero lifted her back into his arms, talking to her softly as he rocked her.

He glanced back up at Elphaba, expecting her to either be fast asleep again or rolling her eyes at him, but instead found that her focus seemed to lay in her lap and her face looked oddly pale. He took a few steps toward the head of the bed. "What's wrong?" He asked.

She looked up at him, shaking her head slowly. "Nothing really. I just feel a little queasy."

He reached out with his free hand to feel her forehead, relieved to find that it was a normal temperature. "You want some water or something?"

"Not at the moment," she replied softly.

Before Fiyero could say anything further, the curtains parted on the other side of the room and Dr. Matusoff entered.

"I thought I heard your little one, figured you'd probably be awake," he explained. "How are you doing today, Miss Elphaba?"

"She says she's feeling nauseous," Fiyero answered before she had the chance.

"And yet still capable of speech," she interjected, shooting him an annoyed look.

"Still feeling fatigued as well?" Dr. Matusoff asked Elphaba. She sighed and nodded at him. "Well I'm afraid these particular symptoms are to be expected. I ran some of your blood and I'm afraid your kidneys don't seem to be bouncing back as much as I'd hoped. The medication caused some improvement, but they still don't seem to be functioning at an acceptable level."

Elphaba looked to Fiyero, who was desperately trying to cover the frightened look on his face. "So what can we do about it?" She asked the doctor, trying to keep her voice steady.

"Well, I'm going to keep you on the medications of course. We'll get you back on that diet we had you on during your pregnancy and you'll have to continue to take it relatively easy. I'm afraid we don't have the resources here to do much else. I'm going to look into other options, but for now, we're just going to have to monitor you carefully and do the best we can," he replied sympathetically.

"What about our plans for travel? We're supposed to head into the Dominion in two weeks," Fiyero reminded the Goat.

"Yes, I know. I'm afraid I don't have any solid answers at the moment. The trip would be quite difficult and rather risky in her present condition. We'll just have to weigh our options when we're a little closer to your planned departure. I wish I had more information for you… In the meantime, you can certainly start to get out of bed when you're feeling up to it. Nothing more strenuous than short walks, I'm afraid, but you can at least get your legs back under you. That way you'll hopefully be in the shape to make the trip should your health improve."

"What kind of symptoms should I expect to experience?" Elphaba asked calmly.

"Well, definitely more of the same: fatigue, swelling of the extremities, nausea, loss of appetite. You may get headaches or numbness in your hands and feet. If you start to feel any chest pain or have any trouble breathing, alert me immediately, because those are signs that the it's starting to seriously affect other organs," he listed.

"What about the baby? Is it still safe for me to nurse her?"

"With the medications I've got you on, it's as safe as we can hope for. I'll do a full check-up on her this week so we can make sure she's progressing normally and I can better determine how ready she may be for your trip."

"Thank you, doctor. I appreciate your honesty," Elphaba said sincerely.

"Of course. I wish I had better news for you. I want you to know that I'm going to do everything I can to help you get up and out of here," Dr. Matusoff replied.

Elphaba nodded and Fiyero thanked the Goat as well, shaking his paw briefly before he left. Fiyero then turned to look at Elphaba, whose focus appeared to be settled on Daveny.

"You want to hold her for a while?" He asked gently. She merely nodded and he moved closer to lower the baby into her arms. He perched on the edge of the bed and took a moment to simply look at her. She was still rather pale and was still solely focused on her daughter. "You okay?"

She looked up at him, her lips curled in a wry smile. "You act as if it's the first time I've been given bad news. It's just a setback, Fiyero. I still fully intend on making this trip if for no other reason than because I know you're too stubborn to go without me."

"How could I possibly go without you even if I wanted to? We don't even have formula to feed the baby," he reminded her.

"And that's why all three of us will be making this trip in two weeks. You just work on getting everything figured out with Lionus. I'll make sure we're both ready to go when the time comes," she said, gesturing to Daveny.

Fiyero looked into her eyes, knowing that she was completely disregarding what the doctor had just told them, but also knowing _her_. Elphaba was a force of nature, impossible to stop when she set her mind to something. It was one of the reasons they ended up in this life in the first place. If she thought she could put that single-minded, unshakeable stubbornness to good use, who was he to question her?

* * *

Fiyero took Elphaba's advice and set up a meeting with Lionus the very next day. He'd missed their last few because he'd been intent on staying by Elphaba's bedside since she'd woken. He'd just put Daveny down for a nap when Fiyero heard Lionus's customary knock from the tunnels. He quickly let the Dog in and they both settled at the table.

"I was very glad to hear that Elphaba had woken. How is she doing?" Lionus asked immediately.

Fiyero sighed. "I'm afraid that's a complicated question. It seems that her kidney function hasn't much improved. The doctor seems worried for her health and her ability to make this trip, but she's determined… I honestly don't know what to do."

"You say her kidneys are the problem? What kind of treatment are they giving her?"

"Right now they've got her on various medications to lower her phosphorus levels and to help her anemia and such. Dr. Matusoff said he wasn't sure if he was going to be able to get his hands on the treatment she might really end up needing."

"Forgive me for saying this, but it sounds like she may need to be in a real hospital," Lionus ventured.

"I think she does. But there's no chance of that here. She'd be recognized and captured the moment she walked through the doors," Fiyero replied darkly.

"Well, then maybe this trip truly is what's best for her. In fact, it would be the perfect reason to give for why I've brought you back to my country. If I explain that you and Elphaba aided me on this side of the ocean and that she was possibly facing death because of the lack of treatment available here, I'm sure my people would accept you both without question. We can get her into a hospital and get her some real treatment immediately. I haven't seen much of this country outside this shelter, but it's possible that we may even have more advanced treatments in Aquaria than you do here. It could be her best chance."

Fiyero took in Lionus's words for a moment, recognizing the truth in them- the reality that he had been so reluctant to face. There may simply be nothing more to be done for Elphaba in this shelter, in this country. She could die here. He knew the same could happen on the journey, but if he couldn't save her, he could at least give her the peace of knowing that he was getting their daughter to safety. And if she could make it through the journey, maybe, just maybe, everything would be okay.

"I think you might be right," Fiyero admitted. "But it does make our trip infinitely more difficult. Elphaba hasn't even been active in months, she's going to be pretty weak." Using the word 'weak' to describe Elphaba felt foreign and disturbing, but he knew what she'd been through had not left her in her normal state of being able to travel for days without much food or rest.

"Perhaps we should allow an extra day or two so we can travel at a slower pace," the Dog suggested.

"It'll take some re-working, but it might be necessary… We should probably sit down with Dr. Matusoff. He'll be able to help us figure out what we're going to need to make this work."

* * *

Fiyero arranged the meeting for the next day and less than twenty-four hours later, he and Lionus made their way together to the medical center, Daveny in tow. Fiyero was relieved to find Elphaba awake and alert after having left her to a nap earlier that day. The moment they breezed through the curtains, Elphaba smiled and reached out for the baby. Fiyero gently deposited Daveny into her arms, careful not to wake the sleeping infant. Once Elphaba had a hold of her daughter, she turned her focus to Lionus.

"It's good to see you again. I hope you've been well," she said genuinely.

"I've been quite well, thank you. It is good to see you awake and saving your poor husband from the nervous breakdown he was near having," Lionus replied with a smile.

Elphaba chuckled. "He seems to have done quite well under the circumstances."

Lionus patted Fiyero on the shoulder. "Yes, he has. Your daughter is beautiful by the way. It's been a pleasure spending some time with her while Fiyero and I have been finalizing our plans."

Before Elphaba could thank him for the compliment, Dr. Matusoff entered the room, quickly bringing conversation to a halt.

"Well, hello everyone. I understand that there's something you'd like to discuss," he said, quickly getting down to business.

Lionus and Elphaba both looked to Fiyero, who quickly took it upon himself to answer. "Yes, well, Lionus and I were discussing this upcoming trip yesterday and whether or not we'd be able to embark on it with him. I've shared as much as I know about Elphaba's condition with him and he wisely pointed out to me that if her health were stable enough to get her to Aquaria, she could receive immediate treatment there, which I know has been a challenge here." He looked to the doctor for a reaction.

The Goat nodded slowly. "You do have a fair point, one which I've actually been considering myself lately. I've been trying to evaluate your health, Miss Elphaba, and looking into what medications and treatments could potentially help you. I'm afraid if your condition doesn't improve with rest and the medications we've already given you, you may require advanced, machine-aided and possibly even surgical treatment. We're simply not equipped for such things and I think it would be difficult to impossible to find use of those treatments without exposing you. It is possible that this move may truly be in your best interests. My concern is that the trip will be very hard on you and your body. It will very likely worsen your condition. And there is still the possibility that you may start to recover on the treatment we currently have you on."

"What are the odds of that happening?" Fiyero questioned.

"Well, they're not outstanding, but they're fair. Sometimes these things take time," he replied.

"What kind of setbacks am I facing if I leave?" Elphaba asked.

"Your main problem will of course be fatigue and weakness. You're anemic and the waste building up in your blood will make you feel sick and exhausted. I could send you with some medication, but you won't be able to take any of the IV drugs. The main concern is that if it all becomes too much for your body to handle, you'll suffer major damage to other organs or possibly fall back into a coma."

As Lionus and Fiyero attempted to take in this serious information, Elphaba pressed on. "But all I really need is to get to the ship without that happening. Once I'm there, I can rest and even if I do fall back into a coma on the ship, I can still survive long enough to get to the hospital in Aquaria, right?"

Dr. Matusoff sighed. "How long is the journey?"

"About two weeks, depending on weather," Lionus supplied.

"And the trip through the Dominion?" The Goat asked.

"Well, we had it down to about five days, but we've been working on lengthening it so we can travel a bit less each day and allow for more rest time," Fiyero answered.

"Are you planning to do the whole thing by foot?"

"Well, we've worked it out so that Dr. Dillamond will ride with us to the border so he can lead the horse back here to the shelter, but once we're in the Dominion, I'm afraid we'll have to travel on foot."

The doctor considered the information briefly. "It would certainly be a challenge, and not a pleasant experience for you, Miss Elphaba, but I think it could be feasible. I'm certainly not giving you any guarantees, because Oz knows anything could go wrong, but, barring major complications, I would think you should be able to make it to the ship on your own steam."

Fiyero noticed Elphaba looking pleased, though he felt only concern after hearing everything the doctor had to say. "So I guess this means we're going?" He asked cautiously.

Elphaba glanced down at Daveny quickly before meeting Fiyero's gaze. "We're going."

* * *

**A/N**: Okay, hopefully it was worth the wait! Please let me know what you thought! It'd be nice to know that you're all still out there haha. Thanks for being patient with me and keeping up with this story, guys! Coming up next- goodbyes are in order and the trip finally begins.


	25. Be This Sunset One for Keeping

**A/N**: So here I am again, offering my sincerest apologies for how long it's taken me to update this story. I took a trip to see Wicked earlier this month (which was so amazing) and since then have been keeping very busy. I've been having some potential career breakthroughs lately and I've been working my ass off to make things happen and unfortunately, this story has suffered for it. I have been writing more frequently this last week, though, so hopefully I'll be able to get back in the habit. I promise, I'm doing the best I can! Anyway, with that out of the way, I hope you enjoy the chapter and that it was worth the wait!

* * *

Chapter Twenty-Five: Be This Sunset One for Keeping

With the days they were adding onto the trip, their departure date now loomed less than a week-and-a-half in front of them. Elphaba was working on building up her strength, sticking to a strict diet and pushing herself to be a little more active every day. She wanted to move back into their house for the remainder of their time there, but Dr. Matusoff insisted on keeping her in the medical center for close observation. Now that she was nearly back to a normal sleeping schedule, Fiyero had taken to leaving Daveny with Elphaba in the center while he spent hours each day working with Lionus. It wasn't long before the bassinet was permanently moved there so that Elphaba could easily take care of the night-time feedings as well.

A week before they were to leave, Dr. Matusoff performed a full examination on Daveny, including blood samples, and declared her healthy enough for the journey. He informed them that he would be giving the baby a course of vaccines over the week to help ensure her continued good health. With that reassurance, they all knew that the only thing they needed to worry about now was Elphaba. Fiyero and Lionus were constantly coming up with plans and provisions for any setbacks that may occur. As the days passed, it seemed as if everything had been planned to the smallest detail- from where they would stop and rest to who would carry what while they traveled. Fiyero had managed to build a holder for the baby that could strap around someone's shoulders so she could be carried in front or back. In short, they were ready.

The night before their departure, Fiyero headed to the medical center after a meeting with Lionus to check up on Elphaba. He made his way automatically to the area of her bed, but was stopped short just outside the curtains. The sound of Elphaba's voice floated out to him through the cloth. She was humming an unfamiliar, but quite lovely melody, and the sound of it was nearly hypnotizing. As quietly as he could, he pushed the edge of the curtain aside so he could peek through. Sure enough, he saw Daveny, swathed and settled and Elphaba's arms. Elphaba was rocking her gently, a soft smile on her face as she hummed. Fiyero watched, entranced, until their daughter was fast sleep and Elphaba's song came to a soft finish.

"That was pretty," he said finally, pushing his way through the curtains.

She looked up at him, not looking at all surprised to see him. "How long were you listening?"

"Just a minute or so. I didn't want to interrupt. What was that?" He questioned, settling himself on the edge of the bed.

"I'm not quite sure. I think it's something my mother used to sing to me as a child. I don't remember the words, so I thought I'd just try humming the melody. It's something I've always associated with being comforted… She wasn't too happy after the last vaccination," she informed him, gesturing to the baby.

"Well she'd be less happy getting sick. Someday we'll be able to explain that to her." Elphaba nodded and sighed tiredly, leaning slightly back against the headrest. The gesture was not lost on Fiyero. "Why don't you let me put her down?" He offered.

"Alright," she replied softly. She leaned down to brush a soft kiss to Daveny's brow before carefully handing her over to Fiyero, who did the same before gently placing her in the bassinet. He then turned back to study Elphaba.

"How are you?" He asked.

"Just a little tired. I walked around with her for a couple of hours today, thought it would be good practice. That contraption you built works well, though I didn't like having her on my back and not being able to see her. I think I'll keep her in front of me for the trip," she replied conversationally.

"That's fine, whatever works best for you. Lionus and I are all packed up. We'll leave in the late afternoon. That way we can hit the border by sunset and travel through the night once we get across, like we did in Ev," he explained.

She nodded slowly. "It's strange, I've been so anxious to leave here, I'm just now realizing how much I'm going to miss this place. I knew we couldn't stay here forever, but it's been a nice safe haven for the last several months."

"It _has_ been like a taste of home again. But being so close makes it impossible to move on. This is our chance to build a new life."

"I know that," she assured him with a small smile. "It just feels so strange to know that I'll never be back in Oz again. Everything happened so fast the last time, I didn't have time to process the idea like I do now… I know there's so much ahead of us, but I still have to come to terms with all I'm leaving behind. I'm sure you do, too."

"You mean my family? I already told you, Fae, I accepted their absence in the rest of my life a while ago. I have a new family now and it's all that matters," he said firmly.

"And I love you for that, you know I do. But I know you'll miss them, no matter what you say. If I had any family left, I would miss them too."

"I'll always miss them, in a way. But I'm ready to move on."

"I am, too. Really. It's just…" she trailed off uncertainly.

"Glinda," he finished knowingly.

"I know it doesn't make any sense. I had already accepted the fact that I would never be able to contact her again, but I think a little part of me thought this whole thing might someday blow over. Even if it took fifty years, I hoped I'd be around to see that happen. And that I would be close enough to get in touch with her when it did… I'm glad I was able to see her here at least, to know for myself that she's doing okay. Even if she'll never know the same about me," she reasoned sadly.

Fiyero took her chin in his hand, guiding her gaze up to meet his. He smiled softly at her. The words that came to his lips were an echo of the sentiment he'd spoken to her when she'd mentioned her past desire to become a doctor the night they'd first arrived in Ev, a night that now seemed like a lifetime ago. "Never say never."

* * *

The next day was a flurry of activity from the moment they woke. Fiyero came to the medical center to take Daveny in the morning so Elphaba could get a few extra hours, but it wasn't long before she was making the rounds, bidding farewell to all the Animals she'd taught and come to know during their time at the shelter. After that was a brief visit with Dr. Matusoff for a final check-up and the dispensing of all the necessary medications for their trip. After many words of advice and caution on the doctor's part and of gratitude on theirs, he wished them luck and sent them on their way.

Fiyero and Lionus divvied the luggage between them, taking with them nothing more than what they could carry on their backs. Elphaba would carry a considerably lighter pack of necessities for the baby and she would also have Daveny herself. Once they were situated, they moved through the tunnels and out through the front, where Dr. Dillamond was waiting with horses. Fiyero smiled at the sight of Dandelion, whom they hadn't seen since their arrival at the shelter. It seemed fitting that she would be the one to carry them away from this place.

They mounted the horses quickly, Lionus and Dr. Dillamond on one and Fiyero and Elphaba (holding Daveny) on the other. They guided the horses away from the shelter in silence, the moment weighing heavily on all of them. Fiyero saw Elphaba glance back as they rode, watching the intricate network of houses that they had experienced so much in growing smaller and smaller in the distance. Fiyero knew he would miss the shelter as well and the happiness and sense of purpose it had provided them both, but they had spent so long now living their life in phases. It was simply time to move on to the next.

The weather seemed to be sympathetic to their emotional journey. The winds were relatively calm and the weather almost cool enough to be pleasant. The sunset painted the sky like a canvas of color, reminding them that even in all the ugliness they had experienced there, Oz still held an almost redeeming amount of beauty. Elphaba found herself praying to a higher power she wasn't even sure she believed in that Aquaria would be able to measure up.

They reached the border several short hours later. The same reflective film that had passed through from Ev now loomed before them, ready to take them into the Dominion. Fiyero dismounted the horse and then helped Elphaba down so she could hold Daveny steady against her. Once down, Elphaba moved to Dandy's head, stroking her mane and saying goodbye in her own way. After a moment, she turned to Lionus and Dr. Dillamond who had dismounted their horse as well.

"As much as I hate to say it, we should really keep moving. We've got a lot of ground to cover before sunrise," Lionus reminded them all gently. He then turned to Dr. Dillamond and shook his paw, thanking him profusely.

Fiyero stepped up to the Goat next. "I wish there were more I could do to thank you. You've done so much for us."

"It has been my pleasure, Master Fiyero, truly. I will live a much happier life knowing that the two of you are alive and safe, living your own happy life somewhere," he replied genuinely. Fiyero smiled warmly and shook his paw, stepping aside for Elphaba.

"Well, Miss Elphaba," he said as she stepped forward. "It seems your work here is finally done."

She smiled sadly at him, fighting the tears that prickled at the back of her eyes. "I think we both know there will always be work to be done. I suppose I'm simply passing the torch."

"I shall carry it proudly then."

She stepped forward and embraced him. "It has been an honor knowing you, professor," she told him softly.

"The honor was mine, my dear," he replied before pulling back. "Now go and have the life you deserve. Don't worry about us back here, we'll be alright."

She nodded. "I know."

Dr. Dillamond smiled and glanced down at Daveny, brushing his paw over the top of her head. "Good luck to you all," he said, meeting each of their gazes briefly.

They moved to stand directly in front of the border, leaving Dr. Dillamond back with the horses. "I guess this is it," Lionus said, turning to his two companions. "Are you ready?"

"We're ready," Elphaba replied, knowing it was time.

"Okay then, see you on the other side." And with that, he stepped forward, through the film, and disappeared.

Elphaba took a deep breath, aware that her entire life would change with this next step. The feeling was so familiar, so similar to the last time they'd left Oz, but different at the same time. She wouldn't have believed it possible then, but this time, there was more at stake than ever. Suddenly, she felt Fiyero's warm hand close around hers. She looked up and saw the concern and tenderness in his eyes. And just like that, she was ready for whatever awaited them on the other side. She knew that she had everything she needed; everything she would ever need.

She glanced back one last time, smiling a final goodbye to her mentor and taking in the image of Oz one last time to imprint on her memory and carry with her through the rest of her life. Then, with a nod to Fiyero, she allowed him to once more lead her into the unknown.

* * *

**A/N**: Okay so I know that many of you might be feeling disappointed that they're leaving Oz without seeing Glinda or anyone. All I have to say to that is that what I said in the very first author's note for this story still stands. So don't bite my head off yet, okay? Just stick with me here. So coming up next- the journey through the Dominion begins and complications arise relatively early. Please review and let me know that you're still with me, guys! I really appreciate it!


	26. She Turns Her Collar to the Wind

**A/N**: No, I haven't forgotten about this story, I promise! I am very committed to it, but my life seems to only have two speeds lately- super insanely crazy and completely calm and boring. Luckily, I've had a little calm lately so I've had the time to write. So here you go. I hope it was worth the wait. I'm trying to get better about these updates, I swear. And hey, I at least gave you a long one!

* * *

Chapter Twenty-Six: She Turns Her Collar to the Wind

The Dominion reminded Elphaba of what their trek through Ev would have been like had the temperatures not been frigid. There were stretches of forest that lasted for miles and miles, which provided not only good cover, but also shade should they ever need to travel partially through the daytime. Fiyero had explained to her at one point that he'd chosen this route not only for the woods, but because the other half of the Dominion was filled with mountains that would be nearly impossible to travel through, despite the fact it was the most direct route to the Nonestic Ocean.

Elphaba was relieved when Daveny dozed off earlier than normal and slept through a good portion of the night. It wasn't until around four in the morning when she woke, crying for her feeding. Fiyero recognized the cry easily and informed Lionus they had to stop for a bit. Elphaba positioned herself behind the large base of a tree for privacy and Fiyero allowed her a few moments before he went to sit with her. He took the time to assure himself that she and the baby were holding up well thus far before he simply settled his arm around Elphaba and allow her to silently lean into him until Daveny was finished.

They continued on until sunrise, when they deemed the woods dense and secluded enough to set up camp for the day. They had a single tent which they could just barely all fit into together, but it was as much as they were able to carry with them. Fiyero and Lionus had it pitched in no time.

"Why don't you two take the baby inside and get some sleep? I'll take the first look-out shift," Lionus volunteered.

Fiyero nodded, wanting to accompany Elphaba inside to make sure she went straight to sleep. "Thanks. I'll relieve you in a few hours."

"Forget it. I don't want to see you out here until midday at the earliest. Now go on," the Dog replied firmly. Fiyero offered him a grateful smile before guiding Elphaba inside of the tent.

They both sat on the floor of the tent and pushed their packs to the corners to afford them as much space as possible. Fiyero reached out and gently removed Daveny from her carrier so that Elphaba could easily slip it off her shoulders. The baby had been wide awake for the last hour or so of their trip and Fiyero soon found himself pulling faces to amuse her. She cooed at him softly and reached out to grab at his face with her tiny hands. He laughed and looked up to find Elphaba watching him with a hint of a smile.

"It's a good thing I made you human again. You would have scared the poor child to death making those faces as a scarecrow," she commented dryly.

"Well as we wouldn't have been able to conceive her had I still been a scarecrow, I don't think it would have been much of an issue," he joked back.

"Fair point," she conceded, her smile growing slightly.

"Why don't you get some rest? I'll sit with her until she's ready to nap," Fiyero offered.

She sighed and nodded. "Will you wake me when it's time for my shift?"

Fiyero gaped at her for a moment. "Elphaba, you're not taking a shift."

"Fiyero, I'm perfectly capable of keeping guard for a while," she argued.

"No one's doubting that. But you're not healthy, Fae. You may feel okay right now, but the doctor told you repeatedly that this trip is going to wear you down. You need to rest as much as you possibly can," he said gently, trying to reason with her.

"I may as well help while I'm still feeling up to it, don't you think?" She asked in a tone that told him she didn't really want his opinion at all.

"I know it's frustrating for you, but we specifically planned this trip so that Lionus and I could take all the shifts and still get enough rest. Anyway, if you were keeping watch, one of us would still have to stay up with the baby. You have enough on your hands having to feed her and care for her through the trip. Just let us worry about the rest, ok?"

She stared at him defiantly for a moment before her gaze shifted down to her daughter, still cradled in Fiyero's arms. Finally, she sighed in defeat. "Fine. But if you coddle me this entire trip, I swear I'll find a way to turn you to straw again."

Fiyero couldn't help but chuckle, despite the fact that she had used her most threatening tone. "Okay, okay," he conceded. "Now will you please lie down for a while?"

He helped her fold up some of the spare clothes they'd brought to serve as a makeshift pillow and breathed a sigh of relief when she finally settled down. He moved closer so that her head rested right next to his hip. With his free hand, he reached down and gently brushed her hair back away from her face before tracing his fingers through the raven locks. He swore he heard a small sigh of contentment and it made him smile. It wasn't long before her breathing had evened out and he knew instantly that she'd been more tired than she'd let on, as usual.

It took Daveny less than an hour to settle back into sleep and Fiyero finally allowed himself to lay back as well, settling the baby against his chest.

It felt like mere minutes later that the sound of cries filled his ears and jolted him back into semi-consciousness. Before he could even take in his surroundings, he felt Daveny being lifted off of him. He opened his eyes to see Elphaba already sitting up and cradling the baby, unbuttoning the front of her dress. He was awed at her immediate alertness as he attempted to blink the remnants of sleep away.

"Oz, how do you even think that fast, let alone move?" He questioned.

She gave him a small smile and he suddenly noticed that she barely looked awake herself. "I suppose we'll have to stop using those sort of expressions soon, won't we?" She pondered.

His still-hazy brain took a moment to realize she was referring to his use of the word 'Oz.' "You're probably right. It's going to be a hard habit to break, though."

"Sweet Aquaria just doesn't have quite the same ring to it," she joked.

"Well I'm sure we'll catch onto whatever expressions they use quickly enough."

"The baby's been sleeping more than usual," she blurted suddenly after a moment's silence.

"Really? Because we can't have slept more than a few hours," Fiyero replied disbelievingly.

"I mean last night. She slept almost six hours without waking for a feeding. That's not typical of her," she explained.

"Well she seems to be back to a normal schedule now. We should probably count our blessings. Maybe she'll start sleeping through the night more often."

"If she's not getting at least six feedings in a day, she's likely not getting enough nourishment. And since we're wandering through forests and such for another week or so, it's hardly a good time for her to start having health problems," she reminded him.

"Which is why we gave her all those vaccinations before we left. She was probably just tired from all the movement and excitement. I'm sure she'll be fine."

"Oz, I hope so," Elphaba muttered, yawning.

"We need to start pinching each other or something whenever we use any Ozian expressions so we can start breaking the habit," he suggested.

"Oops," she murmured, realizing what she'd said. "Do me a favor and save the pinching for next time. I at least deserve a warning."

"Fair enough," he conceded with a smile.

Daveny finished nursing and Elphaba took a few minutes to burp her, but soon felt the baby dozing against her shoulder. Fiyero still had a few hours before he was to trade with Lionus so the family of three settled back into sleep.

* * *

Elphaba slept through most of the day, joining Fiyero outside every few hours or so to nurse Daveny, as she felt uncomfortable doing it in the tent while Lionus was sleeping there. Though the baby's desire to nurse through the day and sleep at night was convenient for travel, Fiyero quickly began to worry that it would wear on Elphaba. It would be difficult for her to get a decent amount of rest when she was waking this frequently. He also remembered reading that women who breast-fed were burning an enormous amount of calories every day. He therefore made sure that Elphaba finished every last bite of food that was rationed to her for that evening's dinner.

They set out again after sunset and traveled a good portion of the night without stopping. Again, Daveny seemed intent on sleeping through the night, but Elphaba insisted on waking her to feed somewhere in the early hours of the morning. They once again found somewhere to settle just after sunrise and Fiyero and Lionus shared the day's shifts. It didn't take long for their schedule to grow repetitive, though Fiyero was careful not to let that fact lull him into a false sense of safety.

It wasn't until the fourth day that Fiyero began to notice that Elphaba was weakening. She appeared to be growing slightly sluggish, stumbling more than usual. When they settled for the day, he watched her obviously struggle to choke down the food he'd given her. The doctor had informed him long ago that loss of appetite was a symptom of poor kidney function. Daveny was still waking her every couple of hours during the day for feedings and he feared things would only start to get worse. She of course never mentioned any of this and claimed to be feeling fine whenever he asked. He promised himself, as they packed up for the night, that he would keep a close eye on her and force them all to slow down if necessary.

By midnight, he had been so busy paying attention to Elphaba's every move that he hadn't taken much notice of his daughter's restless behavior. It finally came to his attention when he saw Elphaba struggling to get her to fall asleep. She would normally have been out for hours at this point, but she was emitting small whiny noises and didn't seem to want to settle. When her whines finally turned into full-out screams, Elphaba reluctantly suggested they stop for a minute. She gently lifted Daveny out of the carrier to cradle her closer.

"What is it, baby?" She murmured, sounding slightly exasperated. "What's going on?" She pressed her lips to Daveny's forehead to help comfort her, but Fiyero saw her whole body suddenly go still as her eyes went slightly wide.

"Elphaba?"

She looked up at him. "She's sick, Fiyero. She's burning up."

Immediately, he felt the same fear that he could see written all over her face. He stepped closer to her and reached out to feel the baby's forehead himself, nearly yanking his hand back in shock when he felt how hot it was.

"Do we have any sort of medicine that could help?" He asked desperately.

"Um, there's the medications the doctor gave me for my kidneys. Most of them would probably be useless, but he did give me a small dose of antibiotic just in case. It could help if it's an infection, but if it's viral, we'd just have to wait it out."

"What do you think?"

She pondered this for a moment, still trying to settle her crying daughter. "It can't hurt. We can crush up a pill and spread it along her gums so she'll absorb it. Even so, it probably won't have any effect for another day or so."

"Are you sure you won't need it?" He questioned, concerned.

"I certainly don't right now. And I'm not going to risk her health over the hypothetical situation that I may need it later," she insisted.

Fiyero knew instantly that it was an argument he'd never win, so he simply nodded his permission. Elphaba quickly handed Daveny to him so she could rifle through her bag. When she found the pills she was looking for, she immediately removed one from its small container.

"I need something flat to crush it on."

"In my bag," Fiyero replied quickly. "I have your journal." He turned so Elphaba could open the bag he still wore on his back and locate the book. She removed it quickly, laying it on the ground and then standing to search out some kind of tool. After a moment, she settled on a small stick with a rather flat end. Placing the pill carefully on top of her journal, she then began to work on it with the stick. When she was satisfied that the pill was nothing more than a fine powder, she scooped as much as possible into her palm. She stood and leaned close to Daveny, placing her hand on the baby's cheek and taking advantage of her cries to gently spread the powder along the inside of her mouth.

"She gonna be okay?" Lionus asked from behind them suddenly, reminding the preoccupied couple of his presence.

Elphaba sighed. "I think that's the best we can do for now. We'll just have to hope it's something minor, a 24-hour bug or something… At any rate, we should keep moving. I'll just hold her while we walk, try to settle her."

She gently lifted Daveny from Fiyero's arms and settled her against her shoulder, rocking and shushing her gently. Fiyero repacked the few supplies they'd removed from their packs and they once again began to move. It was over an hour before Daveny finally quieted and dozed off. Elphaba eased her as gently as possible back into her carrier to give her arms a much-needed reprieve. They continued on most of the night in silence and Elphaba didn't wake the baby for her normal middle-of-the-night feeding, feeling it was better that she rest for the time being.

Two hours before sunrise, it started to rain. Within fifteen minutes, the light rain had turned into torrential downpour. Daveny was awake and crying once again and they were all quickly getting soaked. Though they were not scheduled to stop yet, Lionus spotted a small cave in a large rock formation and they eagerly took refuge inside of it. Dripping and panting, they all sat upon the cold rock floor. Elphaba immediately went about drying the baby off. Once that was accomplished, she retreated into a darker portion of the cave to see if she could get Daveny to nurse.

By the time she was finished, Lionus had moved to the mouth of the cave to keep watch as best he could without soaking in the rain. Elphaba dropped down beside Fiyero, trying to ease Daveny back into sleep.

"How is she?" He asked.

"About the same, as far as I can tell. It's just hard to make her comfortable, because she can't tell me what's wrong," she explained, sounding slightly frustrated and exhausted. "I was going to soak a piece of cloth and try to cool her head with it. Maybe that'll help her sleep at least."

"Why don't you let me do that?" He offered. "You should get some sleep."

"You're the one who should sleep, really. You'll have to take over for Lionus in the afternoon," she said offhandedly, searching through her bag for something to use as a cloth.

"Elphaba," he said gently, reaching out and laying a hand on her arm to halt her movement. She looked up at him. "Please… I'm worried about you. And I'm worried about Daveny. And I'm not sure if I can handle you both being sick. I need you to be okay, I need you to help me with the baby, and because of that, I need you to let me have her right now so you can get some rest. _Please_."

She looked at him for a moment, a little taken aback by the sheer desperation in his voice. Finally, she sighed and held Daveny out to him. He took her eagerly, hoping his face didn't betray his surprise. Reaching out for the bag sitting next to her, he offered her a small smile to show his gratitude. She surprised him further by leaning forward and kissing him softly before bending to brush another kiss to Daveny's forehead. Without another word, she extracted a cloak from his bag, folded it up, and curled up on her side, using it as a pillow.

Still shocked at how easy his victory had been, he watched her for a moment to make sure it wasn't some kind of trick. When she didn't move and her eyes remained closed, he went about finding a cloth to try to settle the baby.

He woke in the early afternoon, having finally settled the baby and dropped off to sleep himself for a good six hours. He knew it was time to relieve Lionus and let him get some sleep as well. Lifting his head, he saw that Daveny was still sleeping soundly on his chest and Elphaba was sleeping just beside him. He hated the thought of disturbing either of them, but knew he somehow had to hand over the baby so he could take his shift. Holding Daveny against his chest, he slowly and carefully sat up, hoping not to wake her. Glancing down at Elphaba, he couldn't help but notice how peaceful she looked and wondered if he might be able to achieve the task without actually waking her. He reached out to put slight pressure on her shoulder, attempting to push her onto her back so he could settle the baby on her chest. To his relief, she groaned and began to shift slightly and he used his free hand to further encourage her into the desired position.

As soon as her back hit the stone floor of the cave, she let out a small yelp and immediately shot into a sitting position, her eyes snapping open. Fiyero withdrew his hand in shock.

"I'm sorry. I was just trying to settle Daveny with you so I could go relieve Lionus… What happened?" He asked, confused.

She scrubbed lightly at her eyes with the back of her hand and Fiyero got the distinct impression that she was avoiding his gaze. "You just startled me, that's all," she replied dismissively.

"Please don't lie to me," he implored seriously.

She looked up at him finally and, to her credit, looked at least slightly guilty. "I'm having some back pain," she admitted grudgingly.

"You mean your kidneys are hurting. It must be pretty bad if you can't put any pressure on your back," he said knowingly. "How long have they been bothering you?"

"Not long," she replied quickly. He gave her a pointed look to which she let out a small sigh. "A few days."

"Why didn't you tell me?" She could hear the hurt and anger in his voice.

"Because it's not significantly impairing me in any way," she insisted firmly, pausing for a moment. "And because you _need_ me to okay," she added quietly.

"Elphaba," he said softly, her name coming out as a sigh. "You know that's not what I meant. I do need you to be okay, I _always _need you to be okay, but that doesn't mean you can help it if you're not. And it doesn't mean I want you hiding things from me. I need to know what's going on with you so I can make sure we do whatever is necessary to get us to that ship."

She studied him for a minute and Fiyero could see her features visibly soften. She reached for his free hand and laced his fingers through hers. With her other, she gently cupped his cheek. "I'm okay," she said slowly, carefully enunciating each word. "My back hurts and I'm tired and I have absolutely no appetite, but I'm okay. I can still travel and I can still handle this. If and when I can't, I will tell you."

"Will you?" He asked uncertainly.

She nodded. "I will," she said, sealing the deal with a kiss.

"Okay," he acquiesced, squeezing her hand lightly. "I'll pile up some clothes so she can sleep next to you."

"Thank you."

* * *

**A/N**: Okay, this is the point where you tell me you're still with me and let me know what you thought. I was feeling pretty stuck on an upcoming part in this story, but I've finally gotten through it so hopefully writing will speed up and updates will come sooner. Coming up next- the trip only grows more complicated and our travelers are forced to alter their plans. Thanks so much for sticking with this story, guys!


	27. On Their Wings, On Our Knees

**A/N**: Oh man guys, I won't even make excuses. Just know that life has been crazy and I wish so much that I had more time to work on this story, because I truly enjoy writing it and I will not allow myself to give up on it because there are so many things in it I'm still looking forward to getting onto paper. So please be patient with me and stick with it, I promise I will do my best! And please let me know that you're still out there. I really hope it's been worth the wait!

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Chapter Twenty-Seven: On Their Wings, On Our Knees

Nightfall found Lionus and Fiyero debating their options. The rain hadn't let up and was now compounded with loud claps of thunder. It was going to be difficult to travel in, but they weren't sure they could afford to lose an entire night. Daveny had fussed throughout much of the late afternoon and evening and she and Elphaba had only just gotten back to sleep two hours ago. Fiyero knew they both could certainly use the rest, but that might mean having to travel through the day and night later on, when Elphaba might be less capable of such activity.

"One of the cloaks we have is water repellent. If Elphaba wears that and fastens it so that it covers the carrier, we can at least make it part of the night," Fiyero suggested.

"It's not terribly cold out, I can stand to get wet. We'd need to stay along the rocks, though, in hopes of finding another cave. Our tent may not hold up too well in this amount of rain," Lionus added.

"If the storm gives up soon and we keep a steady pace, we'll make it in another three days and have nearly a day to spare. We should be able to find somewhere near enough to the docks to stay out of sight for a day. I think we should keep moving," he concluded.

"I agree. Why don't you go wake Elphaba and I'll get out everything we'll need," the Dog offered.

Fiyero nodded and moved toward the back of the cave where Elphaba and Daveny still slept. He leaned down and gently shook Elphaba's shoulder until her eyes fluttered open.

"Hey," he said softly. "It's time to head out. Lionus and I think we should do our best to travel through the rain. You up for it?"

"Sounds grand," she muttered sarcastically, pushing herself into a sitting position. "What are the odds we can get Daveny into the carrier without waking her?"

"We can certainly try. Why don't you get the carrier settled on you and I'll get her into it."

Elphaba complied, packing the few things they'd removed from the bag and waiting for Fiyero to lift Daveny so she could pack the clothes the baby had been sleeping on. That accomplished, she reached for the carrier and settled the straps around her shoulders, adjusting them accordingly. She stood up and Fiyero followed suit, supporting Daveny as much as possible as he gently lowered her into the carrier. To their collective relief, she slumbered on. Fiyero helped Elphaba get the cloak on and then tied the front ends together so that Daveny would be entirely protected from the rain. They joined Lionus and Fiyero donned his usual traveling bag. Bracing themselves, they stepped into the rain and began moving.

With the clouds covering the moon and the rain obscuring their vision, it was incredibly hard to see where they were going. The water made the ground rather slippery and Elphaba found herself putting all of her concentration into watching her every step so she wouldn't fall. Fiyero and Lionus were soaked to the bone within minutes and Lionus frequently paused to shake out his fur, the most dog-like mannerism they'd ever seen from him.

At some point in the night, the thunder grew particularly loud, causing Daveny to cry with piercing wails. Elphaba tried to comfort her without shifting the cloak too much and letting the rain in, but it was useless. They tried stopping under the cover of a particularly large tree so that Elphaba could try to soothe the baby and get her to nurse, but she cried on. They decided it was best to keep moving and, eventually, Daveny wore herself out and fell asleep.

It was a few hours before sunrise when the lightning was starting to strike a little too close for comfort. Elphaba reminded them that she still needed to feed the baby and they resolved to stop in the next suitable cave they could find. It thankfully didn't take long and the one they found was rather large and would certainly protect them from any lightning that may hit nearby.

Lionus and Fiyero immediately replaced their sopping clothes with dry items and Elphaba took it upon herself to use magic to start a fire. It was the first time she'd used magic in a while and, in her weakened state, the small effort completely drained her the way large spells used to. She was thankful when Lionus moved to the mouth of the cave to keep watch so she didn't have to move to the back to nurse the baby.

Fiyero must have noticed her exhaustion, because he suddenly crossed to the stone wall nearest to her and sat against it, gesturing for her to join him. She moved to sit between his legs and he pulled her back against his chest. Sighing comfortably, she began to unbutton her dress as she gently eased Daveny from her sleep. The baby woke with a cry, but quieted quickly when she realized her mouth could be otherwise occupied in feeding. Relieved, Elphaba rested her head against Fiyero's shoulder and allowed her eyes to slip shut. He kissed her temple and her forehead gently, wrapping his arms around hers to make sure Daveny stayed supported in case she began to drift off.

By the time the baby finished, Elphaba's head was practically lolling against him. "Hey," he murmured into her ear. "If you sit up for a sec, I can take the baby."

She groaned and forced her eyes open, leaning forward so he could move from behind her. He shifted to sit in front of her and immediately relieved her of Daveny's weight. Elphaba buttoned her dress back up and promptly curled up on the ground, her head pillowed on her arm. Fiyero searched inside his bag for a dry cloak and folded it, gently pushing it under her head. She opened her eyes a crack and gave him a small, tired smile. He reached down and brushed his thumb across her cheek.

"You okay?" He asked, concerned.

She nodded. "Yeah, I just need to sleep it off."

"Maybe you should lay off the magic for a while," he suggested gently.

"Maybe," she murmured, her eyes slipping shut. He continued to stroke her cheek as she faded quickly into sleep.

Once she was out, he returned his focus to Daveny. He felt her forehead and chest to gauge her temperature and was relieved to find that she felt slightly cooler, though still a bit feverish. The antibiotics seemed to be doing the trick. Now that the thunder had quieted, she also seemed to be much calmer. She was looking up at him drowsily and he smiled down at her and began talking to her softly to entertain her. It wasn't long before she drifted off as well and he wisely decided to follow suit.

The baby woke him late in the morning. He quickly realized that she needed to be changed and went about the task on automatic, his brain still foggy with sleep. When he was finished and the baby's cries had quieted somewhat, he realized that it was also about time she nursed. Turning, he noticed that Elphaba hadn't woken, which was quite unusual. Daveny's cries usually acted like a stimulant for her ever since she'd woken from her coma. He dreaded the idea of waking her when she was clearly so exhausted, but knew that the baby needed to eat and he had a strong desire to assure himself that she was alright.

He bent down and kissed her forehead gently, murmuring her name in her ear and running his free hand along her arm. It took a minute, but she finally came reluctantly out of her sleep.

"What's wrong?" She asked sleepily.

"The baby's hungry. I'll take her again when you're finished so you can get back to sleep."

She nodded and pushed herself into a sitting position. She paused for a moment, blinking a few times to regain her sense of equilibrium, before she reached out for Daveny. Once she was situated, Fiyero moved to sit beside her, wrapping his arm around her shoulder. She rested her head against his shoulder and sighed softly.

"You know, you should probably eat something too. You haven't had anything since yesterday. It might help your energy level, too," he suggested.

"Mmm, I will. Maybe after a little more sleep, though," she replied softly, but something in her tone bothered him.

"Why? What's wrong?" He asked knowingly.

"No, nothing's wrong. Sometimes magic gives you a sort of hangover, for lack of a better word. I'm just feeling a little woozy and I want to be certain the food will stay in my stomach when I eat it."

Fiyero nodded slowly. "Okay, well I'll wake you an hour before we leave so you can eat and make sure you're feeling well enough to travel."

"Hopefully the rain will let up and we can get a full night in."

"If not, we'll just do the best we can," he replied.

"I know we're losing time, Fiyero. We can't afford to lose much more," she said darkly.

"We're okay," he said, a half-truth at best, and they both knew it. "You just worry about you and Daveny. Let me worry about our progress."

She sighed again, too tired to point out that worrying was what she did best and it would be impossible for her to suddenly rid herself of the habit. "I'll try."

They sat in silence until Daveny finished and Fiyero took her once again and began burping her. He encouraged Elphaba to go back to sleep and she agreed with very little argument. He proceeded to comfort and entertain the baby until she was sleeping as well. He knew that he should grab a few more hours, but he found himself going over their route in his head, calculating exactly how many hours of traveling they still had to put in before they reached their destination. As it was, if they didn't put in a full night's travel from now on, they would fall short. And that simply was not an option.

* * *

Fiyero managed to prepare some soup over the fire while Elphaba slept. As promised, he woke her about an hour before their departure time. Lionus slept across the cave and Fiyero was careful not to wake Daveny who was still slumbering beside Elphaba as he coaxed her from her sleep. She came awake groaning, looking slightly disoriented, but she soon pushed herself into a sitting position. Mutely, he took her hand and led her over to the fire, where he sat her down and handed her the cup of warmed soup. She looked down at it apprehensively for a moment.

"Eat," he encouraged softly.

She seemed to come to herself then and brought the cup to her lips, tipping the contents slowly into her mouth. Fiyero watched her carefully, a little disoriented by how quiet and submissive she was being. He moved closer to her and began using his fingers to gently comb her hair back from her face. After a moment, she lowered the cup, which he was disturbed to see was still half-full. He was about to comment on that fact when she suddenly leaned over and rested her head in his lap. Surprised, he decided to keep his mouth shut for the moment and continued to run his fingers through her hair.

After a minute or so, he heard her let out a soft sigh and he finally decided to speak up. "Are you okay?"

His voice was full of concern and she shifted slightly so that she was looking up into his eyes. She gave him a small smile, but before she could say a word, Daveny's cries began to echo through the cave, capturing their attention. Elphaba pushed herself off of his lap and into a sitting position. She was about to stand, when she felt Fiyero's hand on her shoulder.

"I'll get her. You finish that soup," he said gently, standing before she had the chance to reply. He made his way further into the cave where the baby lay on a pile of clothing. She reached her arms up toward him when she saw him coming and he couldn't help but smile. He bent down and quickly scooped her into his arms. He held her close to his chest and swayed lightly, trying to calm her. He pressed his lips to her forehead and was relieved to find it a normal temperature. Letting out a sigh, he quieted the baby and hoped that things might finally get a little easier. He moved back to the fire, hoping to re-energize Elphaba slightly with the good news.

But she was nowhere in sight.

"Elphaba?" He called out hesitantly.

"Fiyero? Something wrong?" Fiyero turned and saw Lionus sitting up, probably having just been woken by the noise.

"I don't know. Can you watch the baby for a minute?" He asked quickly, trying desperately not to let his panic completely overtake him.

"Of course," Lionus replied. Fiyero strode over and immediately transferred Daveny to him.

He did a quick turn, allowing his eyes to cover every side and crevice of the cave, but caught no sign of her. Instinctually, he made his way to the opening. It was still raining lightly and he squinted to see through the misty air into the surrounding forest. He called her name again, louder this time, straining to hear any sort of reply.

"Fiyero," came the weak response directly to his right. He turned immediately, surprised and enormously relieved to see her kneeling on the ground, one hand braced on the rock wall. He immediately made his way over, dropping onto the ground beside her.

"What's going on? You scared me half to death," he told her, laying a hand across her back. Before she had a chance to reply, her body jerked and she lurched forward slightly, vomiting onto the wet ground below her. He jumped into action, using one hand to gather her hair out of her face as his other rubbed soothing circles over her back. It was almost a full minute before the heaving stopped and the coughing began as she gulped in deep breaths of air. He released her hair, wrapping his arm around her front and holding her firmly against him as she caught her breath. She leaned her head back on his shoulder and he caught a glimpse of her pale face, soaked in both rain and sweat. He tried to soothe her, murmuring words of comfort in her ear, but it wasn't long before she shot forward again and continued to release the contents of her stomach.

Several minutes later, Fiyero was certain that she had expelled every last bit of both food and sickly yellow bile from her body. She was merely dry heaving now, her body refusing to simply relax. When she was able to catch her breath again, she leaned heavily back against him, groaning at the simple movement.

"I'm sorry I made you eat the soup," he said softly, feeling utterly helpless.

She shook her head slightly. "It's not your fault," she replied breathlessly. "I thought I could manage it."

He sighed heavily. "You think you're done?"

"Mm, I don't know. My stomach feels like it's doing somersaults."

"Well there's nothing left in it at this point, so let's get you back inside," he suggested. Before she could even process the words, he lifted her into his arms as gently as possible. She gasped a little in surprise, but didn't fight him. He carried her back into the cave and toward the back where her makeshift pillow still sat. He ignored Lionus for the moment, whose gaze was fixed curiously on them. Trying not to jostle Elphaba too much, he lowered her, but was careful to help her into a sitting position so her back didn't press painfully against the ground.

As soon as she was down, she began to cough and heave again. Fiyero continued to rub her back until she was settled. He then moved to rummage through the bags until he found the rag he'd been using to cool Daveny's forehead. He folded it once and handed it to Elphaba. She looked up at him, confused.

"So you can blow your nose," he explained.

"But you've been using this for the baby."

"Her temperature's back down. Don't worry." She looked at him for a moment, contemplating, before finally giving in and using it. Satisfied, he then reached for the canteen and held it out to her. She took it wearily.

"Just take a small sip for now." She complied and then handed it back to him. "Why don't you lie down? Maybe it'll help your stomach settle."

"But we have to keep moving," she protested.

"You're in no condition," he replied firmly. "Forget the nausea, you haven't had any food or water in you in far too long. You'd collapse within hours. You rest for a while and then we'll work on getting some food into you after your stomach's better. We'll make up the hours later, okay? Lionus and I will rework our plans while you rest." She looked at him uncertainly. "I promise you we'll get to that ship, Fae. I promise."

His eyes pleaded with her until she couldn't find it in herself to argue. With a sigh, she curled up on her side and tried to get comfortable. Groaning, she rested a hand on her stomach, trying to will it to stop turning. Fiyero noticed the action and wasted no time in lying down behind her, draping his arm over her middle and replacing her hand with his, rubbing soothing circles along her stomach. He was vaguely reminded of the times he did this during her pregnancy and found himself praying that they would make it through this struggle as they had that one.

* * *

A/N: Coming up next- plans must be rearranged and huge risks must be taken in order to make it to the ship on time. Please don't give up on me guys! I promise I will do my best!


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